by State Representative Ben Smaltz
Hoosier students deserve an education system that prepares them not just to graduate but to succeed in today’s economy – and Indiana is leading the way.
In the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, Indiana ranked sixth in the nation in reading for both fourth and eighth grade students, while math scores showed progress for fourth-graders who ranked ninth after previously ranking 11th. WalletHub ranked Indiana as having the eighth best school system in the country for 2025.
And we’ve doubled down on our commitment to improving critical, foundational skills for Hoosier youth. In 2023, I supported a law that established science of reading standards, implementing data-driven strategies and focused support to Indiana schools and students facing the most significant reading challenges. The latest IREAD scores for 2026 show nearly 89 percent of Hoosier third-graders passed IREAD, a nearly 1.5 percentage point increase from last year and the second-largest single-year increase since the test was implemented. IREAD scores have now increased for five consecutive years after a decline during the pandemic. In fact, Indiana ranks sixth in the nation for reading recovery. We’re now taking a similar approach with math.
This progress would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of Hoosier parents and teachers. And if we expect our educators to continue delivering these results, we need to give them the time and flexibility to do what they do best: teach. We led efforts in 2025 and 2026 to cut red tape and reduce education regulations, allowing schools to focus more on providing the best education possible.
Indiana’s progress on K-12 education is not the result of one policy or one legislative session, but consistently putting students first, investing in what works and giving families and educators the tools they need to succeed.
The current state budget increased K-12 tuition support by $640 million compared to fiscal year 2025, representing the most funding support for K-12 students yet and making up nearly half of our state budget. The fact is we’re putting more state dollars into K-12 education than ever before while continuing to responsibly manage taxpayer dollars. These funding increases not only support our students but also help fund competitive salaries for Hoosier educators. Keeping pensions responsibly funded protects future generations from the financial challenges we’ve seen in neighboring states like Illinois.
Indiana K-12 schools are projected to receive more than $9 billion each year over the next two years in state funding. And here in Indiana, that money follows the student. Parents shouldn’t have to accept that the school assigned to them by zip code is their only option. We’ve continued expanding opportunities for families to find the school that best fits their needs, including greater ability to transfer between public school corporations. In fact, Indiana now ranks sixth nationally for schooling options and parental empowerment.
We’ve also modernized the high school experience to recognize an important reality: not every student is on the same path. Our new diploma options give students more flexibility to pursue work-based learning, career experiences and the skills they need to succeed.
But at the end of the day, the test of any education policy isn’t how much we spend or how many laws we pass—it’s whether Indiana students are succeeding. And the results are real and measurable.
Now is not the time to be satisfied with our shared past accomplishments. We cannot lose our focus on how we keep getting better. We can and will build on these successes, we should keep raising the bar and make sure every Indiana student has the opportunity and tools to achieve greatness.
State Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) represents House District 52, which includes all of DeKalb County, and portions of Noble and Steuben counties.
