Third-grade reading proficiency in Indianapolis’ Near Northwest Area has risen nearly 25 percentage points over three years, continuing a sharp rise across schools in the Marian University-led Riverside Education Innovation District.
The combined IREAD passage rate among REID schools reached 73% in 2026, up from 63.6% in 2025 and 48.1% in 2023.
The improvement also means more children are 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 passed even as the number of third graders tested declined from 346 to 322.
Every REID school with publicly available results saw its passage rate improve.
Vision Academy recorded the largest increase, 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 also posted year-over-year gains.
“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,” said Katie Dulay, executive director of Enlace Academy. “These results demonstrate the power of collective efficacy and the deep commitment of our school community to language and literacy.”
Marian University launched the Riverside Education Innovation District initiative in response to educational outcomes in the Near Northwest Area, including third-grade literacy rates. The effort brings Marian together with neighborhood schools and other partners to improve educational achievement through educator support, collaborative programming, and long-term investment.
Many schools in the area also participate 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. Indiana Department of Education data show that schools participating in the Cadre during the most recent school year increased their IREAD passage rate by 2.3 percentage points, nearly four times the increase of schools that did not participate.
“To see the IREAD passage rate in the near Northwest area increase from 48.1% in 2023 to 73% in 2026 is remarkable,” said Lee Ann Kwiatkowski, dean and vice president of Klipsch Educators College and Innovation in K–12 Education at Marian University. “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. We are especially proud of the teachers and school leaders who bring that commitment to life every day in their classrooms.”
The local gains come as Indiana recorded its fifth consecutive year of statewide improvement on IREAD. In 2026, 88.7% of third graders demonstrated proficient reading skills statewide, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
The Riverside Education Innovation District’s work is also expanding through the development of The Grove at Cold Spring, a 22-acre education and workforce development campus designed to support learning from early childhood through adulthood.