Here's what Indiana lawmakers want to do to improve third graders' reading literacy scores

Indiana's top education officials want 95% of third graders to be able to read at grade level by 2027. But last year, only 82% passed the IREAD exam.

Improving that statistic is a top priority among state lawmakers this legislative session.

Senate Republicans are taking the lead on legislation to beef up literacy coaching prior to third grade and make sure that third graders who are behind in reading are held back to give them another year to catch up.

Here are their proposals:

Give the IREAD test to second graders, too

One idea is to catch problems earlier.

Senate Bill 1, authored by Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, and 30 other co-authors, would require schools to administer the IREAD to kids in second grade in addition to third grade. Both Gov. Eric Holcomb and Education Secretary Katie Jenner support this idea.

"We're going to catch them early and give those who need the extra support so they can be successful," said Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Richmond, a co-author.

Kids who pass the test in second grade wouldn't have to take it again in third grade, while schools would be required to provide those who fail with additional reading instruction, including offering summer school ― on the state's dime.

The additional remediation is a requirement, but summer school would just be an option for the students.

"We're not going to force anybody to go to summer school," Raatz said.

Enforce third-grade retention

Since the beginning of the Holcomb administration, far fewer third graders who fail the IREAD have been held back than previously. In 2012, the first year the test was given, nearly all of the 2,000 third graders who failed the test were held back; in 2023, only about 5% of the 8,300 students who failed were held back.

Of the failing students pushed to fourth grade last year, 70% qualified for one of the exemptions, which include students with an Individualized Education Program, English learners and students who have been held back twice.

Senate Bill 1 would crack down on promoting students who did not pass.

The bill would require third graders to be held back if, after the necessary remediation efforts, they fail the IREAD.

There would still be exemptions, similar to what exists now, apart from one additional exemption: students who pass the statewide math assessment could still move on to fourth grade, but would have to get reading remediation in fourth grade.

"Retention is the absolute last resort after we've exhausted all other methods to help struggling student readers," Raatz said. "Some may say retention is not good for the child, but what isn't good is to move students on without foundational reading skills. To send these students on through school without the ability to read sets them up to struggle throughout the rest of their education, potentially the rest of their lives."

Mandatory science of reading

Last year, Indiana passed a law requiring school leaders to adopt curriculum materials that are aligned with the science of reading, the method of teaching reading based on phonics, and outlawed the three-cueing method, which teaches using context clues to figure out a word's meaning. The law also requires teacher preparation programs to use the science of reading, and makes mastering the skill a necessary credential for getting a teaching license.

Senate Bill 1 requires schools to teach the science of reading to all students in kindergarten through 8th grade.

Democrats, however, are urging their Republican colleagues to allow schools more time to adjust to last year's law, rather than continue to adjust the goalposts.

"We asked our schools less than a year ago to make a major transition in the way that we teach children to read, moving towards a research- and science-based model that's been proven to work," said Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, a teacher herself. "I know that the teachers that I work with and the school leaders that I've learned from believe in this new system, but they need time to make it work in their schools and in their classrooms. They need time. These changes don't happen overnight."

Add literacy coaches to schools

In House Bill 1304, Rep. Robert Behning, R-Indianapolis, wants to give schools access to grant money to hire "literacy coaches" trained in the science of reading.

These coaches would be able to both train teachers and work directly with students.

Follow kids beyond third grade

Raatz's Senate Bill 6 would require the state education department to develop guidance for schools to support students in grades four through eight who previously failed reading exams ― for example, he said, students who might have been moved along during COVID-19 who shouldn't have been.

"So it's entirely comprehensive, knowing that we're doing our very best to balance everything and make sure that kids can read, because it's so fundamental," he said.

IndyStar reporter Brittany Carloni contributed to this story.

Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17.