Indiana · ILEARN and IREAD score reports
ILEARN Scores Explained:
New 2026 Score Ranges
Last reviewed against Indiana Department of Education sources
Quick answer
What is a good ILEARN score?
At Proficiency or Above Proficiency. Under Indiana's new 2026 cut scores, At Proficiency starts at 413 (grade 3) to 484 (grade 8) in ELA, and at 485 (grade 3) to 661 (grade 8) in math. IDOE says 2026 is a new baseline, so these scores cannot be compared with earlier years. On IREAD, 446 or higher is Pass.
Source: IDOE: ILEARN Reporting Scale, Performance Levels, and Cut Scores (PDF) · Updated
Next step
ILEARN ELA and math practice, grades 3 to 8
Practice tests built to the real ILEARN, with every answer explained. Pick a grade to see what is on it, or start practicing with an account.
Try ILEARN practice questions
Practice ILEARN Questions
Pick your child's grade to start. No signup required.
What does my child's score mean?
Type the 3-digit scale score from your child's ILEARN report. For Grade 3 ELA, At Proficiency starts at 413 and Above Proficiency at 456.
Source: IDOE: ILEARN Reporting Scale, Performance Levels, and Cut Scores IREAD: IDOE IREAD Performance Level Descriptors.
Current ILEARN score ranges by grade
These are scale scores. The highlighted At Proficiency column is Indiana's proficient mark. The first number in Below and the last in Above are the lowest and highest scores IDOE says a child can get. ELA and math use one scale across grades 3-8, which is why the numbers climb each grade.
| Grade | Below | Approaching | At Proficiency | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 297-363 | 364-412 | 413-455 | 456-509 |
| Grade 4 | 302-387 | 388-433 | 434-483 | 484-546 |
| Grade 5 | 304-397 | 398-448 | 449-502 | 503-583 |
| Grade 6 | 307-407 | 408-461 | 462-517 | 518-588 |
| Grade 7 | 316-417 | 418-473 | 474-529 | 530-597 |
| Grade 8 | 318-430 | 431-483 | 484-539 | 540-621 |
| Grade | Below | Approaching | At Proficiency | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 403-467 | 468-484 | 485-511 | 512-552 |
| Grade 4 | 414-488 | 489-504 | 505-540 | 541-592 |
| Grade 5 | 419-504 | 505-530 | 531-572 | 573-644 |
| Grade 6 | 423-524 | 525-560 | 561-616 | 617-713 |
| Grade 7 | 438-548 | 549-604 | 605-668 | 669-794 |
| Grade 8 | 453-584 | 585-660 | 661-737 | 738-897 |
| Grade | Below | Approaching | At Proficiency | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 4 | 100-144 | 145-162 | 163-179 | 180-220 |
| Grade 6 | 300-346 | 347-362 | 363-371 | 372-420 |
| Biology | 500-545 | 546-560 | 561-572 | 573-620 |
| Grade | Below | Approaching | At Proficiency | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 | 300-422 | 423-449 | 450-503 | 504-600 |
ELA, math and grade 5 social studies cut scores are new for spring 2026, and the ELA and math cut scores apply to both the checkpoints and the end-of-year test. Science cut scores date from spring 2024 for grades 4 and 6 and fall 2023 for Biology. Each science test has its own scale. IDOE will add U.S. Government scores in summer 2027.
Source: IDOE: ILEARN Reporting Scale, Performance Levels, and Cut Scores (published August 11, 2026)
The four performance levels
Above Proficiency
Has mastered current grade-level standards, showing more complex knowledge, application and analytical skills.
At Proficiency
Has met current grade-level standards, showing the essential knowledge, application and analytical skills to be on track for college and career readiness.
Approaching Proficiency
Has nearly met current grade-level standards, showing some basic knowledge, application and limited analytical skills. May need support to be on track for college and career readiness.
Below Proficiency
Has not met current grade-level standards. May need significant support to be on track for college and career readiness.
These are short summaries of Indiana's policy descriptions, first adopted by the State Board in July 2018 and kept for the new test. At Proficiency and Above Proficiency mean your child is on track for college and career readiness.
Source: IDOE: ILEARN Reporting Scale, Performance Levels, and Cut Scores (Policy Performance Level Descriptors) Adopted July 2018: IDOE memo to the State Board, August 11, 2026.
Growth on the new ELA and math scale
From 2026, a grade 6 math score and a grade 7 math score sit on the same scale, so next year's report shows growth. IDOE describes three patterns:
Score goes up
Strong growth. IDOE's example: a grade 5 math score of 562 (At Proficiency), then 579 in grade 6 (still At Proficiency).
Score stays the same
IDOE still counts this as growth, because next year's content is harder. But the level can drop: IDOE's example is ELA 463 in grade 6 (At Proficiency) and 463 in grade 7 (Approaching).
Score goes down
Your child is falling behind the harder grade-level standards and likely needs more support. IDOE's example: grade 5 math 530, then 425 in grade 6.
Source: IDOE: ILEARN Reporting Scale (Interpreting Growth on Vertical Reporting Scales)
How Indiana students scored in 2026
Statewide, 42% of students in grades 3-8 were proficient in ELA and 42.7% in math. ELA held between 40.7% and 44.0% in every grade, while math fell from about 52% in grades 3 and 4 to 34.2% in grade 8. IDOE says these results are a new baseline and cannot be compared with earlier years.
| Grade | ELA: At or Above | ELA: Below | Math: At or Above | Math: Below |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 40.7% | 15.1% | 51.9% | 19.8% |
| Grade 4 | 42.2% | 19.9% | 52.0% | 25.6% |
| Grade 5 | 42.2% | 20.3% | 42.0% | 31.7% |
| Grade 6 | 41.3% | 20.3% | 40.2% | 32.9% |
| Grade 7 | 41.7% | 20.3% | 35.9% | 32.6% |
| Grade 8 | 44.0% | 20.3% | 34.2% | 32.9% |
Grade 5 social studies: 47.7% At or Above Proficiency. IREAD: 88.7% of third graders passed in 2026, up nearly 1.5 points over 2024-25.
Source: IDOE: memo to the State Board, August 11, 2026, Tables 3-5 Statewide totals and IREAD: IDOE press release, August 11, 2026.
IREAD: the grade 3 reading test
IREAD measures foundational reading skills. All second graders take it, and students keep taking it each spring and summer until they pass or are promoted to grade 7. IREAD is scored from 200 to 650, and 446 or higher is Pass. In grade 2, 405-445 is On Track and 200-404 is At Risk.
Under Senate Enrolled Act 1 (2024), a third grader who still has not passed IREAD after the chances in grades 2 and 3 (spring tests and summer retests) is not promoted to grade 4, unless they qualify for a Good Cause Exemption. IDOE's 2024 guidance lists these exemptions: a student with an intellectual disability or whose IEP says retention is not appropriate, when the case conference committee decides promotion is right; an English learner with fewer than two years of services, when the ILP committee decides promotion is right; a student who passes the ILEARN math test; a student retained twice in K-2 who has had at least two years of intensive intervention; and a student already retained once in grade 3.
Students who do not pass, including those with an exemption, keep getting reading instruction and keep retesting. Parents who think their child qualifies for an exemption can appeal the retention through a process each school sets.
Source: IDOE: Third Grade Good Cause Exemption & Retention Guidance (June 21, 2024) Score ranges: IDOE IREAD Performance Level Descriptors. Who takes IREAD: IDOE IREAD page.
When spring 2027 scores arrive
Science and social studies results are planned from April 19, 2027. To see results, log in to the Indiana Family Portal with the access code from your child's school.
Source: IDOE: ILEARN Milestones 2026-2027 Family Portal access codes: IDOE ILEARN page.
Getting ready for next spring
Start with any subject below At Proficiency, then the skills your child's teacher points to. Our ILEARN practice pages by grade:
More on the test itself: ILEARN prep for grades 3-8.
Questions parents ask
What is a passing score on ILEARN?
ILEARN reports four levels, not pass or fail. At Proficiency is the state's proficient mark, and the score for it changes by grade: in ELA it runs from 413 in grade 3 to 484 in grade 8, and in math from 485 in grade 3 to 661 in grade 8. These are the new cut scores used from spring 2026.
Why did ILEARN scores change in 2026?
Two state laws changed the test. HEA 1251 (2022) streamlined Indiana's academic standards, and HEA 1243 (2024) turned ILEARN into a through-year test with three checkpoints and a shorter end-of-year test. Indiana then set new ELA and math cut scores on a new scale. IDOE says the 2026 results are a new baseline and should not be compared with earlier years.
Can I compare my child's 2026 ILEARN score with 2025?
No. ELA and math moved to a new scale in spring 2026, so a 2025 score and a 2026 score are not on the same scale. Beginning in 2026, ELA and math use a vertical scale across grades 3-8, designed to show growth from year to year on the new scale.
What is the ILEARN vertical scale?
Since spring 2026, ILEARN ELA and math scores sit on one scale that runs across grades 3-8, so you can see growth from year to year. A higher score next year means your child is advancing even with harder content. IDOE also counts the same score next year as growth, because the content is harder, but your child may drop a level because the next grade's proficient score is higher.
Is Approaching Proficiency bad?
It means your child has nearly met the grade-level standards, with some basic knowledge and skills. Indiana counts At Proficiency and Above Proficiency as on track for college and career readiness, so Approaching is the level just below that.
What is a passing IREAD score?
IREAD is scored from 200 to 650, and 446 or higher is Pass in both grade 2 and grade 3. In grade 3, 200-445 is Did Not Pass. In grade 2, 405-445 is On Track and 200-404 is At Risk.
Will my child be held back if they fail IREAD?
Under Senate Enrolled Act 1 (2024), a third grader who still has not passed IREAD after the chances in grades 2 and 3 (spring tests and summer retests) is not promoted to grade 4, unless they qualify for a Good Cause Exemption. Parents can appeal through a process each school sets.
What are the IREAD Good Cause Exemptions?
IDOE's 2024 guidance lists: a student with an intellectual disability or whose IEP says retention is not appropriate (when the case conference committee decides promotion is appropriate), an English learner with fewer than two years of services (when the ILP committee agrees), a student who passes the ILEARN math test, a student retained twice in K-2 who has had at least two years of intensive intervention, and a student already retained once in grade 3. Exempted students keep getting reading support and keep retesting each spring and summer until they pass or finish grade 6.
What did Indiana students score on ILEARN in 2026?
Statewide, 42% of students in grades 3-8 were proficient in ELA and 42.7% in math. Math fell from about 52% in grades 3 and 4 to 34.2% in grade 8, while ELA stayed between 40.7% and 44.0% in every grade. On IREAD, 88.7% of third graders passed.
When do ILEARN scores come out in 2027?
For spring 2027, IDOE plans preliminary science and social studies results from April 19, 2027. ELA and math results reach schools within 12 business days of your child finishing the test, from April 28. Results appear in the Family Portal one week after they reach schools, and final results come July 1, 2027.
How do I see my child's ILEARN results?
Use the Indiana Family Portal with the access code from your child's school. If you do not have a code, ask the school.
Score reports in other states
Moved states, or comparing? Each guide shows that state's cut scores and levels from its own education department.
Sources
Every number on this page comes from these Indiana Department of Education documents. Last reviewed .
- IDOE — ILEARN Reporting Scale, Performance Levels, and Cut Scores (published August 11, 2026, PDF)
- IDOE — Memo to the State Board of Education: ILEARN Through-Year Assessment Standard Setting and Recommended Cut Scores (August 11, 2026, PDF)
- IDOE — press release, August 11, 2026: Indiana Literacy Rates Increase for Fifth Consecutive Year (PDF)
- IDOE — IREAD Performance Level Descriptors and Cut Scores (PDF)
- IDOE — IREAD
- IDOE — Memo: Third Grade Good Cause Exemption & Retention Guidance (June 21, 2024)
- IDOE — ILEARN Milestones 2026-2027 (PDF)
- IDOE — ILEARN