Superintendent highlights district gains on 2025 IREAD; Lincoln posts largest multi-year growth

In the superintendent’s administrative report Aug. 26, the district presented a high-level summary of 2025 IREAD (Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination) results showing growth in foundational reading skills. The presentation noted the state reported a five-point gain overall; the district reported a 6.4-point increase for School City of East Chicago. "Let's give all of our teachers a hand," the superintendent said, crediting teachers, instructional coaches and science-of-reading coaches for contributing to the gains. At the school level, Washington and Lincoln elementary schools showed steady three‑year growth; Harrison posted the highest district growth for 2025 and McKinley posted the second-highest growth. Lincoln was highlighted for the highest cumulative growth since 2023 (84.31% increase). The district clarified that the IREAD report includes spring and summer testing and that comparisons span cohorts (second and third graders), not strictly apples-to-apples year-to-year cohorts. Superintendent remarks also acknowledged noninstructional staff: custodial efforts were singled out for preparing buildings ahead of the school year. The report closed with a schedule of upcoming athletic and extracurricular activities and an introduction of the district’s new director of exceptional learners, Mary Jensen. Trustees asked whether outside tutoring partners (for example Sylvan or Huntington) had driven the gains; the superintendent said in-district, during-school interventions and small-group instructional time were the principal drivers and that the district’s internal adjustments in teacher assignments and licensure were expected to support further gains. No board action followed the presentation.