Third-grade reading proficiency in Indianapolis' Near Northwest Area has climbed nearly 25 percentage points in three years — a sustained rise that shows what happens when a university, its neighborhood schools, and the community commit to the same goal.
The combined IREAD passage rate among schools in the Marian University-led Riverside Education Innovation District (REID) reached 73% in 2026, up from 63.6% in 2025 and 48.1% when the initiative began in 2023. It's the kind of multi-year trend line that education researchers rarely get to see — and one REID's partners say is proof that collective, sustained investment in literacy pays off.
More Readers, Fewer Students Tested
The gains translate directly into more children meeting Indiana's third-grade reading benchmark. Among the seven REID schools with publicly reportable results, 235 students passed IREAD this year, compared with 220 in 2025 — fifteen more students passing even as the total number of third graders tested declined from 346 to 322.
Just as notable: every REID school with publicly available results improved its passage rate this year. Vision Academy posted the largest jump, climbing more than 23 percentage points to 83.9%. Enlace Academy improved to 74.3%, St. Michael-St. Gabriel reached 75%, and Global Preparatory Academy rose to 68.1%. MTI School of Knowledge, Liberty Grove Schools, and Cold Spring School each posted year-over-year gains as well.
"For the second year in a row, our students have experienced double-digit gains in proficiency because of the hard work of our teachers, students, families and community partners. These results demonstrate the power of collective efficacy and the deep commitment of our school community to language and literacy." — Katie Dulay, Executive Director, Enlace Academy
The Model Behind the Momentum
Marian University launched the Riverside Education Innovation District in direct response to educational outcomes in the Near Northwest Area, including its third-grade literacy rates. The initiative brings Marian together with neighborhood schools and community partners to improve educational achievement through educator support, collaborative programming, and long-term investment.
Many of the participating schools also take part in the Indiana Literacy Cadre, a partnership among the State of Indiana, Marian University's Klipsch Educators College and Center for Vibrant Schools, and the University of Indianapolis' Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning. Through the Cadre, early elementary teachers receive embedded instructional coaching aligned with the Science of Reading — and the results show it: state data indicate that Cadre schools increased their IREAD passage rate by 2.3 percentage points last year, nearly four times the increase posted by non-participating schools.
"To see the IREAD passage rate in the Near Northwest area increase from 48.1% in 2023 to 73% in 2026 is remarkable. These results show what is possible when Marian University, schools, educators, and community partners work together around a shared commitment to children and their success." — Lee Ann Kwiatkowski, Dean & Vice President, Klipsch Educators College and Innovation in K–12 Education, Marian University
Part of a Statewide Trend
The Near Northwest Area's progress mirrors — and outpaces — a broader statewide trend. Indiana just recorded its fifth consecutive year of improvement on IREAD, with 88.7% of third graders demonstrating proficient reading skills in 2026, a rate that now exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
What's Next
REID's work is expanding beyond the classroom. The district is developing The Grove at Cold Spring, a 22-acre education and workforce development campus designed to support learning from early childhood through adulthood — a long-term bet that today's reading gains are just the beginning of a broader transformation for the neighborhood.
Explore the Riverside Education Innovation District
