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Indiana posts modest NAEP reading gains but math lags, state board hears
Summary
State education officials told the Indiana State Board of Education that Indiana’s fourth-grade NAEP reading scores rose while national averages fell, improving the state’s rank; math results showed smaller gains and declines in some grades, prompting calls for targeted math and adolescent reading work.
Indiana showed modest improvement on parts of the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, but state officials told the Indiana State Board of Education on Feb. 6 that gains were uneven and that math remains a challenge.
Dr. Shml, the department’s chief academic officer, told the board that Indiana “had almost 7,000 students participate in the 2024 assessment” and explained that NAEP sampling is nationally selected so states cannot choose which schools or students take the test. She said Indiana’s average fourth-grade reading scale score rose by three points while the national average fell by two points, and noted that Indiana’s fourth-grade reading ranking improved to sixth from 19th in 2022.
The department emphasized progress for the state’s lowest-performing readers. “Our lowest achievers in that 10th and 25th percentile grew on average 4 percentile points,” Dr. Shml said, adding that targeted literacy initiatives and instructional coaching likely contributed to gains.
Board members cautioned against overstating the results. Board member BJ said the gains were “good news” worth celebrating but urged continued work; another member asked whether a narrow point spread (a few scale-score points) translates into meaningful outcome differences for students.
Math results were weaker. Dr. Shml reported only modest fourth-grade math gains (Indiana up one point, the nation up two) and said eighth-grade math scores fell; she described the 2024 eighth-grade outcome as “the lowest we've been in 20 years,” a result receiving national attention. Board members and staff identified adolescent reading and middle-school math instruction and teacher preparation as priority areas for additional professional development and investment.
The board approved its consent agenda and moved on to other presentations; no formal policy actions tied to the NAEP presentation were recorded at the meeting. The department said it will continue to analyze population subgroups and share findings publicly, and board members signaled interest in follow-up questions about whether early literacy investments will continue to yield gains in later grades.
