Indiana students see slight increase in math scores, decrease in ELA from 2024

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Indiana standardized test scores for elementary and middle school students were mixed this spring compared to 2024, a new reports showed.

On July 16 the Indiana Department of Education released the results for the latest Indiana Learning Evaluation and Assessment Readiness Network tests, or ILEARN. Statewide, 40.5% of students from third grade to eighth grade are above proficiency standards in English Language Arts, and 42.1% of students are there in math.

In math, all students' results were 3% better than 2024. In ELA, results were about 1% lower than 2024.

"While we are positively moving and improving in math, there is an urgent need to support middle school students in English/language arts," Katie Jenner, Indiana's secretary of education, said in a news release Friday. "It is essential that our schools and parents/families continue to work together and stay laser-focused on increasing student learning and success. The new ILEARN Checkpoints, launching statewide in the upcoming school year, will provide a beginning, middle and end-of-year look at student performance. This will be key to knowing early and often if a student has mastered certain knowledge or skills, or if they may still be struggling, ensuring the student has increased, personalized support."

The state broke down 2025 results compared to 2021, which it says is the current state "baseline." Below is a breakdown of those results:

ELA Proficiency:

Third grade: 1.6 percentage point increase
Fourth grade: 1.8 percentage point increase
Fifth grade: 1.3 percentage point increase
Sixth grade: 0.6 percentage points increase
Seventh grade: 3.2 percentage point decrease
Eighth grade: 1.2 percentage point decrease

Math Proficiency:

Third grade: 2.8 percentage point increase
Fourth grade: 5.5 percentage point increase
Fifth grade: 2.9 percentage point increase
Sixth grade: 6.7 percentage point increase
Seventh grade: 5.4 percentage point increase
Eighth grade: 6.7 percentage point increase

"The literacy and numeracy skills developed in early grades are essential as students begin to explore career options, engage in hands-on learning, and ultimately, make decisions about their next steps after graduation," Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a news release Friday. "While we continue to see students growing in math proficiency, this year’s results remind us all of the need to continue our focus in both early and adolescent literacy."

To see the full results, see the document below:

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