All but one Johnson County school district outperformed the state average on the IREAD exam.
Local proficiency rates ranged from 78% at Edinburgh schools to 94% at Greenwood Schools. All schools but Edinburgh surpassed the state’s average of 82.5%.
Statewide, IREAD results show third graders had the largest single-year increase since the assessment was launched in 2013.
Though the rates were above average, all six school districts had lower proficiency rates compared to 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to IDOE data.
Literacy rates have increased for three consecutive years statewide. For Johnson County schools, scores have fluctuated, but have increased overall. Only Edinburgh has seen more than an 11% decrease in overall scores over the last three years.
Edinburgh scored the lowest in the county with 78.1% of students passing. In 2021, Edinburgh had 89.2% of students passing.
Indian Creek schools had a slight decrease from last year’s scores with 91.1% of students passing the IREAD exam in 2024. However, Indian Creek has consistently been in the 90%.
Greenwood schools had the highest proficiency with 93.6% of students passing and is 1.2% away from reaching pre-pandemic numbers, the closest in Johnson County to reaching pre-pandemic numbers.
“Our elementary performed really really well this last go around on IREAD and that’s very encouraging for us,” Terry Terhune, superintendent said.
Before the pandemic, Indiana’s literacy rates declined yearly, except from 2014 to 2015. The state has made historic investments aimed at helping students learn to read in response to the pandemic exacerbated the literacy crisis.
Some schools have participated in the pilot program to proactively administer the IREAD assessment to second-grade students at no cost. That tactic has already proven successful for Johnson County schools and schools statewide, according to IDOE data. Starting this school year, all second-grade students will participate in IREAD.
Of the second-grade students who participated in 2024, 59% either passed or were on track to pass by the end of third grade, according to IDOE.
Center Grove scores increased from 90.4% in 2023 to 92.5% in 2024, only 2.3% away from reaching pre-pandemic scores.
“We recognize this third-grade milestone is an important indicator of future academic success and this year’s results reflect the hard work of our students and the dedicated support of our teachers and staff,” said Lynn Simmers, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.
Franklin schools have also seen improvement in their IREAD scores with 84% of students passing, Supt. David Clendening said. There’s both good and bad, but Clendening is excited to see some positive trends, he said.
A highlight, he said, is that Union Elementary has a 100% pass rate on the IREAD exam.
Three of Franklin’s elementary schools saw improvement, while two schools scores slightly dipped, data shows. Those schools have already responded to their scores by examining data and school schedules to make arrangements and changes to help students who did not pass, Clendening said.
Statewide, officials have implemented tactical solutions like training teachers on the Science of Reading and introducing the Indiana Literacy Cadre program that gives schools a literacy coach to guide professional development.
Franklin schools hope to continue to utilize the science of reading and its literacy coach to increase scores, Clendening said.
IREAD is just a snapshot of the entire school year and the progress that students make, Clendening said. Beyond IREAD scores, Franklin schools have noticed “significant gains” inside the classrooms in terms of projects and tests because of the tactical solutions being implemented.
For Clark-Pleasant, scores increased by 3.2% from last year’s scores with 87.1% of students passing IREAD in 2024. An increase in scores is “affirming to all the work that our teachers and administrators have been putting in over the last year or two,” Supt. Tim Edsell said.
Clark-Pleasant is opted into the state’s pilot program where second graders are also taking the IREAD exam. Starting next school year, all schools will be required to test second graders.
Being opted into the program for the last two years has been beneficial for Clark-Pleasant, Edsell said. It has helped the school respond earlier to students who don’t pass the IREAD exam, he said.
Specific student populations are also seeing improved growth statewide. Literacy rates for Black students, students in special education and students receiving free/reduced-price meals have increased for three consecutive years.
