Third-grade reading proficiency is at 87% in Indiana, a phenomenal increase of five points over a year ago. In Kansas, only 52% reached that level in the latest testing available. While the Hoosier State seeks to build on that momentum, the Sunflower State has decided to lower its proficiency standards to give a false impression of improvement.
An article in The 74 Million by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush discusses Indiana’s commitment to increasing reading scores by borrowing from successes in his state and in Mississippi:
“In Florida, the introduction of comprehensive literacy reform in 2002 marked a turning point. Over the following decade, the state saw NAEP fourth-grade reading scores improve by the equivalent of one and a half grade levels.
“Mississippi’s literacy law, which was inspired by Florida’s success, integrated educator professional learning, added literacy coaches in the state’s lowest-performing schools to help transfer knowledge into practice and required early screening to catch students who struggled with reading. The state’s third-grade retention policy ensured students did not advance if they were not reading on grade level.
