Thursday, February 6, 2025
Indiana students have made an impressive improvement in reading scores according to recent results from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) rankings.
Our state's scores improved from 19th to 6th in the nation among fourth graders and from 17th to 6th among eighth graders.
In recent years, one of the top priorities for Senate Republicans has been to identify ways we can help improve literacy among Hoosier students.
Since 2022, the General Assembly and the Lilly Endowment have partnered to invest $170 million in efforts to improve reading instruction. These investments include assisting teacher preparation programs in updating their curriculum, paying for veteran teachers to be trained in the Science of Reading, and rewarding schools that are successfully implementing the Science of Reading.
The $170 million consists of $60 million appropriated in the 2023 budget bill, $26 million in federal stimulus funds and $85 million from the Lilly Endowment Fund.
In addition to funding increases that promote literacy, Senate Republicans have supported legislation that required schools to align curriculum to the Science of Reading and required teacher preparation programs to train new teachers in the Science of Reading.
In 2024, our caucus's top priority was Senate Bill 1, which reemphasized the importance of the Science of Reading, improved early identification and intervention for students struggling to read and, as a last resort, limited schools' ability to promote students who can't read by the end of third grade.
This significant jump in reading scores is largely thanks to our teachers, who have worked so hard to get our students back on track. Not only do we owe thanks to them, but also Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana's Secretary of Education, for her leadership in this effort.
Investing in education has always been a priority for Senate Republicans. The ability to read is foundational to academic success, and our caucus is thrilled to see Hoosier students are making strong improvements.
To view NAEP results by state, click here.
