Indiana students prepare for IREAD 2026

According  to the Indiana Department of  Education, the Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) will run from March 2 through March 13, marking the first round of testing since last year’s results showed historic gains in reading proficiency among Indiana third graders. Educators say momentum is strong — but so is the focus.

A high-stakes milestone for young readers

IREAD measures foundational reading skills, including phonics, vocabulary and comprehension, and determines whether students are reading on grade level by the end of third grade. While second graders also take the assessment, it carries especially high stakes for third graders. Students who do not pass may be retained, though multiple testing opportunities are offered throughout the year.

“I try to make them understand how important it is that they do their best, that they read, that they take their time, that they think about their answers, that they go back and check,” said Robyn Futa, a third-grade teacher at Beiger Elementary School in the School City of Mishawaka. “But then I also teach them that they’re far more than a test score.”

Jennifer Biggs, a third-grade teacher at Madison STEAM Academy in the South Bend Community School Corporation, said preparation has been embedded into classroom routines since the start of the school year.

“I think they’re aware that it’s high stakes and that it’s important, but we’ve been talking about it so much from the beginning of the year that at this point it’s just part of their everyday routine,” Biggs said. “They really want to do their best.”

What the IREAD looks like in 2026

IREAD is an online, untimed assessment composed of three segments:

• Segment 1 measures phonics and early vocabulary skills through discrete, stand-alone multiple-choice questions.
• Segments 2 and 3 assess students’ ability to silently read and comprehend both nonfiction and literary texts through passage-based multiple-choice questions.

Each student receives a unique test form generated by the state’s Test Delivery System, ensuring items measure the same level of rigor while varying from student to student. Indiana educator committees worked alongside content experts to develop the IREAD Assessment Frameworks and Item Specifications, aligning all test items with the state’s academic standards.

Multiple opportunities to pass

All grade 2 students and students in grades 3 through 6 who have not yet passed are required to participate in IREAD during spring and summer administrations until they either pass or are promoted to grade 7.

In addition to the March testing window, a summer retest opportunity is available annually in May and June. Educators say this provides reassurance to students while maintaining accountability for reading proficiency.

Preparing beyond the content

In classrooms statewide, preparation extends beyond phonics drills and comprehension practice. Teachers are also coaching students on test-taking strategies — pacing, rereading questions, and building stamina for reading longer passages independently.

As Indiana builds on last year’s record reading gains, educators say the focus remains steady: ensuring every child has the foundational literacy skills needed for long-term academic success.

With one week until the first testing window opens, third graders across the state are sharpening pencils, logging into practice systems, and — as their teachers remind them — doing their best, one page at a time.