Indiana
New tool shows where Indiana students are struggling most with literacy – Inside INdiana Business
As debate heats up among Indiana policymakers over how to address Indiana’s literacy “crisis,” a new statewide dashboard gives a more detailed look at where additional reading supports are needed most.
The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) on Tuesday released its newly-developed data visualization tool, which allows the public to view IREAD and literacy data at both the state and school levels.
State education officials said the new tool will help teachers, parents and policymakers as they undertake new literacy initiatives.
Specific data in the dashboard includes the number of students who:
- Are able to read by the end of third grade
- Aren’t able to read by the end of third grade
- Advanced to fourth grade without foundational reading skills
- Earned a “good cause exemption” (GCE), which allow students to move onto fourth grade in certain circumstances — even though they have not passed the IREAD exam
- Are proficient in math (passed ILEARN Math in third grade), but are not proficient in reading (did not pass IREAD-3)
The new tool also provides a longitudinal heat map of Indiana that shows — by corporation and individual schools — the percentage of students advancing to fourth grade who are unable to read at grade level.
“In the history of our state, we have never had this level of partnership and support for advancing literacy,” said Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner in a statement. “This historic collaboration implores us all to seize the moment and determine key solutions in order to urgently move the needle for students.”
Although data in the dashboard is not new, the statistics double down on Indiana’s struggling literacy landscape.
Hoosier literacy rates have been declining for a decade, well before the pandemic. Since 2012, the number of students who are not able to read at the end of third grade has more than doubled.
According to data from the Indiana Department of Education, in 2023, one in five Hoosier third graders lacked foundational reading skills. But as reading scores have decreased, retention rates have also decreased, meaning thousands of students who were unable to read still advanced to fourth grade, according to IDOE officials.
Test data showed 13,840 third-graders did not pass I-READ-3. Of those, 5,503 received an exemption and 8,337 did not. Of those without an exemption, 95% moved onto 3rd grade while only 412 were retained.
Currently, exemptions are available to students in special education, certain English language learners and students who have already been retained twice or more.
IDOE’s new data visualization tool indicates that schools in and around Indianapolis, Gary, South Bend and Seymour had some of the highest rates of third graders being promoted to fourth grade without IREAD mastery. Schools in those areas additionally recorded some of the lowest overall IREAD pass rates.
Of the students who did not pass IREAD-3 in 2023:
- Approximately 72% were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch
- Approximately 45% were in special education (67% received an exemption)
- Approximately 43% were white
- Approximately 25% were Hispanic
- Approximately 24% were Black
- Approximately 20% were English learners (66% received an exemption)
- Approximately 56% were male and 44% were female
Additional dashboard data on IREAD and retention shows that in 2023:
- 3.1% of students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch were retained out of the 9,978 students eligible who did not pass
- 1% of students in special education were retained out of the 6,273 students in special education who did not pass
- 3.1% of white students were retained out of the 5,921 white students who did not pass
- 1.8% of Hispanic students were retained out of the 3,405 Hispanic students who did not pass
- 3.9% of Black students were retained out of the 3,311 Black students who did not pass
- 1% of English learners were retained out of the 2,819 English learner students who did not pass
- 2.6% of male students (were retained out of the 7,735 male students who did not pass, and 3.4% of female students were retained out of the 6,120 female students who did not pass
Jenner and Gov. Eric Holcomb said their goal is that 95% of students in third grade can read proficiently by 2027.
The governor’s 2024 agenda targets earlier access to IREAD testing and ensuring Hoosier students are mastering foundational literacy skills. His reading plan — similar to what has been proposed by Republican legislative leaders — could result in holding thousands more third-graders back a year in school.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, not-for-profit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
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Indiana
Severe storm risk into tonight through early Wednesday morning
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — We are monitoring the potential for severe weather into early Wednesday morning.
Tornado Watch in effect until EDT midnight March 10, 2026, for Benton, Newton, and Jasper counties.
Tuesday night: Please make sure you have your safety plan on standby into tonight through pre-dawn Wednesday morning. There is now a level 4/5 severe risk in northwest Indiana. Much of central Indiana remains in a level 2/5 risk.
The risk for significant tornadoes (EF2+) and very large hail (2″+) is greatest north of I-70 with any discrete cell(s) that maintain their-selves into mainly northern Indiana. There is also potential for a max expected intensity of an EF-3+ tornado within much (if not all) of the level 3 & 4 risk zone.
This does not mean that every storm will produce a tornado of that magnitude. It is simply highlighting area of highest concern for the possibility of such occurrence.
Now, given a modestly unstable environment into the pre-dawn hours Wednesday with stronger wind flow aloft, all hazards will remain possible into central Indiana. The significant severe threat here is much lower.
Overall, you need to have multiple ways of being able to get alerts tonight. Do not be scared, be prepared and you will be ok.
Wednesday: Beyond sunrise Wednesday, we will continue to track more in the way of showers and storms. The main area of the strong-severe storm risk looks to shift mainly southeast of Indy with damaging winds the primary concern through the morning into afternoon hours.
Rainfall amounts through Wednesday may amount to 1-2″ with locally higher amounts.
Highs to occur earlier in the day with numbers in the mid to upper 60s. Non-thunderstorm winds will also be quite breezy with gusts up to 30-35 MPH.
Thursday: Be prepared for quite a temperature shift into Thursday. We will start the day off with temperatures in the low 30 with 20s wind chills. Yeah, that will not feel great considering our recent stretch of more mild days. Highs will only get into the upper 40s.
7-Day Forecast: We look to warm back up into this weekend, but it will come with more active weather and breezy winds. Friday will feature highs in the mid to upper 50s with wind gusts up to 25-30 MPH. Highs look to tick back into the low 60s Sunday with more chances for rain. Then, temperatures really take a tumble into next Monday with highs only in the 30s and a chance for a rain/snow mix.
Indiana
Future of Chicago’s Soldier Field Uncertain as Bears Eye Move to Indiana
Change could be coming to Chicago’s Soldier Field, a historic landmark initially designed as a memorial for American soldiers who died in combat. Opened in 1924, and home to the NFL’s Chicago Bears since 1971, the 102 year old venue’s future is uncertain as the team is exploring a new stadium, possibility across the Illinois state line in Hammond, Indiana.
“The fact that they’re even considering coming to Hammond versus keeping it in their own state says a lot about what we’re going to try to do to tell everyone Indiana is a place move your business,” said Governor Mike Braun (R-Indiana), in a televised news conference Monday, monitored by Military.com. The governor’s remarks addressed a range of issues related to the end of the state’s legislative session.
“We’re proud that we’ve put together a package to attract $2 Billion worth of investment from the Chicago Bears,” said the governor of Senate Bill 27, which he signed last week. “They’re now looking at Indiana as a place to actually bring that franchise.”
With a seating capacity of more than 100,000 spectators. Soldier Field is used not only for Bears games, but as a site for many other sporting events and exhibitions, including numerous Army-Navy games. But without an anchor sports team like the Bears, the stadium will likely be used less and Chicago could see less tax revenue.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson telling reporters Monday, the Bears were offered an opportunity to build a new stadium inside the city limits, as a way to stay in Illinois.
“We had an entire press conference, with a proposal on the lakefront two years ago,” Mayor Johnson said in a news conference. “How do you have an entire proposal with the Bears, with the city of Chicago, with labor, with the notion that somehow the greatest, the most fruitful, economic viable prime real estate anywhere in the state, anywhere in the region is somehow not suited?”
There’s another proposed site on the table. Illinois lawmakers in the House have advanced House Bill 910, which would lock in property tax rates at the former Arlington Racetrack, in Arlington Heights about 30 miles from Soldier Field. The Bears already own the land, but the bill is still in its early stages and already has some critics.
“It would shift [tax] liability directly onto homeowners and small businesses,” said Brian Costin, deputy state director of the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity, in a statement to Military.com. “It could double or triple the effective property tax rates over the next few decades.”
For now, the Bears have not made a commitment to move to Indiana or stay in Illinois.
The Bears said in a statement, “Indiana has taken important steps over the last few months, and we are grateful for the leadership reflected by Governor Braun signing SB 27 establishing the framework for a stadium development in Northwest Indiana. We continue to work on the necessary due diligence and appreciate the .”ongoing engagement with Indiana state and local leaders.”
The team also addressed Illinois efforts to keep the team from leaving Soldier Field or Illinois altogether.
“We recognize and appreciate the advancement of mega project legislation by the Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee,” said the statement from the Bears. “We look forward to continued engagement as the lawmakers determine the legislative path forward.”
In Indiana, Governor Braun hopes the better deal will be for the Bears to abandon Soldier Field for new digs across the Illinois border, in Hammond.
“We’ve identified a promising site near Wolf Lake in Hammond and established a broad framework for negotiating a final deal,” Braun said in a statement obtained by Military.com. “We have built a strong relationship with the Bears organization that will serve as the foundation for a public-private partnership, leading to the construction of a world-class stadium and a win for taxpayers.”
Indiana
Indiana Pacers Slide as 2026 NBA Draft Lottery Odds Rise
The Indiana Pacers are making a real argument to be the worst team in the NBA this season.
The Pacers could become the first team in the Eastern Conference to reach 50 losses this season if they don’t beat the Sacramento Kings tomorrow night. Power rankings across the internet have the Pacers and Kings as the bottom two teams in the league.
NBA.com, John Schuhmann (30, no change)
“With the Jazz beating the Wizards on Thursday and the Nets’ incredible comeback in Detroit over the weekend, the Pacers are the only team without a win (they’re 0-9) since the All-Star break. Seven of those nine losses have come against other teams with losing records,” Schuhmann wrote.
“The Pacers and Kings are now tied for the fewest wins (15), and they’ll meet for the second (and final) time on Tuesday, with the Pacers having won the first meeting (Dec. 8) behind 28 points and 12 assists from Nembhard. That’s the end of the Pacers’ four-game trip, and they’ll then return home and begin their only stretch of five games in seven days.”
The Athletic, Law Murray (30, no change)
“The Pacers are the only team in the league without a win since the All-Star break, so they’re comfortably nestled at the bottom of these rankings. Indiana was only regular bad for the third quarter of the season overall, though the interior defense has been slammed like brakes,” Murray wrote.
“If they don’t win Tuesday in Sacramento in the Tyrese Haliburton trade bowl, then they’ll have to go and upset a team that is trying to secure wins for the rest of the March schedule.”
Clutch Points, Brett Siegel (29, down 1)
“As soon as Tyrese Haliburton went down with his Achilles injury, everyone knew that the Indiana Pacers would be taking a step back. The decision for this to be a gap year and completely tank was made after several impactful players, like Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, and Andrew Nembhard, all went down with injuries,” Siegel wrote.
“After all, a team that found success through its depth is nothing when all of its key talents are injured.
“The Pacers own the second-worst record in the NBA right now, giving them a real shot at getting the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Remember, Indiana will keep their selection this season if it falls inside the top four, which have a 52.1 percent chance of happening.”
Overview
It’s hard to argue the Pacers not being in this position because they’ve only won 15 games so far this season. On top of that, their last victory came on February 11, which was the final game before the All-Star break.
This isn’t exactly a bad thing for the Pacers, however, because they need that first-round pick to return to them in the draft. If they get the wrong shake in the lottery, the Pacers could be forced to give up their first-round pick in this year’s draft to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the Ivica Zubac trade.
The Pacers should use the rest of the season to figure out who fits in their system and develop their young players in hopes of some of them cracking the rotation for next season and beyond.
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