CELL at UIndy contributes to unprecedented literacy improvement

Results from the 2024-2025 Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) show a historic increase in third-grade literacy rates, representing an almost five percentage point jump to 87.3 percent proficiency. The increase represents the largest single-year increase since the IREAD was first utilized in 2013, marking the fourth consecutive year of improvement.  

One initiative that has made a significant impact on improved IREAD scores is the Indiana Literacy Cadre, a partnership between the State of Indiana and the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) at the University of Indianapolis. This partnership has supported more than 400 schools across Indiana, resulting in extraordinary changes through literacy instruction in K-3 classrooms. 

The Cadre provides early elementary teachers with embedded instructional coaching and support aligned with science of reading, an evidence-based body of research that uses phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension to teach students to read. 

Schools that participated in the Indiana Literacy Cadre during the most recent school year had a seven percentage point increase in students passing IREAD, or nearly double that of schools that did not participate in the Literacy Cadre.

“CELL is proud to serve as a bridge connecting visionary statewide policy change to the powerful work of educators in classrooms.”
-Carey Dahncke, executive director, CELL

“We’re excited to see a growing number of Hoosier students building strong foundational reading skills in the early grades through this partnership,” said Megan Thompson, director of literacy at CELL. “As academic demands increase in the middle grades and beyond, this progress opens up new opportunities for CELL to support middle and high school educators, equipping them with the tools and strategies they need to ensure continued success and growth for students.”

The Cadre is one of several strategies supported by Indiana’s historic $170 million investment in early literacy, funded in partnership with Lilly Endowment, Inc. Through a powerful alignment of philanthropy, state policy, and teacher education, Indiana has fundamentally reshaped its approach to reading. This change is grounded in the science of reading, equipping educators with proven strategies to meet the literacy needs of every student.

“CELL is proud to serve as a bridge connecting visionary statewide policy change to the powerful work of educators in classrooms,” said Carey Dahncke, executive director at CELL. “This critical alignment ensures our collective efforts are creating a future where every Indiana student excels by becoming a strong, confident and capable reader by third grade.”

CELL continues to support schools through the Indiana Literacy Cadre and customized literacy support to improve the quality of literacy instruction, building a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

Learn more about CELL’s literacy support at https://cell.uindy.edu/our-work/literacy.