INDIANA — Indiana has moved up in a national education ranking but the latest Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Book showed many students still face challenges in reading and math.
The report ranked Indiana 11th nationally in education, up from 17th in 2019. But more than half of Indiana fourth graders struggle with reading, and nearly seven in 10 eighth graders struggle with math.
Educators pointed to literacy initiatives and rising graduation rates as signs of progress. Some child advocates said Indiana still needs to strengthen support for early learning and academic achievement.
The report also highlighted concerns about children’s mental health, including excessive screen time, anxiety and loneliness affecting many young people.
A new scoring system in this year’s report measured child well-being across education, health, economic and family indicators. The system is intended to help states track actual progress rather than simply compare rankings.
Indiana scored above the national average overall, although economic well-being and family indicators declined compared with a year ago.