INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WOWO) — Indiana’s third-grade literacy rate has increased for the fifth consecutive year, with nearly 89% of students now demonstrating proficiency in reading.

Results from the 2026 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination, or IREAD, assessment show that 88.7% of third graders demonstrated proficient reading skills.

That’s an increase of nearly 1.5 percentage points from the 2024-25 school year and a 7.5 percentage point increase since 2021.

State officials say Indiana’s literacy rate has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Literacy rates increased for nearly every student population between 2025 and 2026. Black students saw a four percentage point increase, while Hispanic students increased by 3.7 percentage points.

Students in special education saw a 2.3 percentage point increase, while students receiving free or reduced-price meals increased by 1.5 percentage points.

The state also reported that 511 elementary schools — about 40% of Indiana elementary schools — reached the state’s goal of having at least 95% of students reading proficiently. That number has more than doubled since 2023.

Second-grade students also took the IREAD assessment for the second consecutive year. In 2026, 69% of second graders either passed or were considered on track to pass IREAD by the end of third grade.

State education officials say more than 95% of students who were considered on track last year passed the assessment in 2026.

Indiana has set a goal of having 95% of third graders reading proficiently by 2027.

The state also released new 2026 ILEARN results Tuesday. Because the assessment was redesigned this year, the results establish a new baseline and cannot be directly compared with previous years.

Statewide, 42% of students were proficient in English/language arts and 42.7% were proficient in math.

District- and school-level ILEARN results are expected to be available in September.