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A recent report focuses on how well kids are reading by 4th grade. The new data snapshot from the Annnie E. Casey Foundation finds that 62 percent of Hoosier kids are not reading proficiently by this marker.
Experts like Bill Stanczykiewicz, CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute, say this age is critical when it comes to literacy.
"In those early grades, we're learning how to read, from 4th grade on, we're reading to learn," explains Stanczykiewicz.
Students that are reading well by 4th grade are more likely to graduate and become successful as adults.
Stanczykiewicz say Indiana has made recents strides with the creation of new reading measures like the IRead-3 exam.
"Our superintendent of public instruction is actually calling for more reading exams," he says, "we have summer reading campaigns run by the Department of Education, we have 90 minutes required reading every day in our public schools."
These statewide programs have helped narrow the gap between fourth grade reading achievements on an economic level. Still, Indiana lack when it comes to early education options for all kids.
Stancykiewicz says one simple thing parents can do is to start reading to kids as soon as they're born.
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