Horizon Students Continue Outstanding Performance with 97.7% Pass Rate on 2026 IREAD

Horizon Elementary students continued their outstanding literacy performance on the 2026 IREAD assessment, achieving a 97.7% passing rate.

Horizon’s pass rate is 9 percentage points above Indiana’s statewide passing rate of 88.7% and is the second-highest among Penn-Harris-Madison’s 11 elementary schools.

The strong results continue Horizon’s tradition of exceptional IREAD performance. In 2025, Horizon achieved a 100% pass rate. This year, the school again ranked among five P-H-M elementary schools with pass rates of 95% or higher.

Across P-H-M, 94.7% of students passed IREAD in 2026, 6 percentage points higher than the state average. Five P-H-M schools achieved pass rates of 95% or higher, while 10 of the district’s 11 elementary schools performed above the state average.

“These results are a reflection of the incredible dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the partnership of our families,” said Superintendent Dr. Heather Short.

P-H-M continues to prioritize research-based literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading, providing educators with professional learning, instructional resources, and opportunities to collaborate around student data and effective instructional practices.

All P-H-M second grade students also participate in IREAD, providing educators and families with an early indicator of whether students are on track to read proficiently by the end of third grade. In 2026, an impressive 72.1% of P-H-M second graders passed IREAD a year early.

Horizon’s continued success reflects P-H-M’s commitment to building on a culture of academic excellence and ensuring students develop the foundational literacy skills necessary for continued academic growth.

By the Numbers

• 97.7% — Horizon 2026 IREAD pass rate
• 9 percentage points — Horizon performance above the state average
• #2 — Horizon’s 2026 IREAD performance among P-H-M elementary schools
• 94.7% — P-H-M corporation-wide pass rate
• 88.7% — Indiana statewide pass rate
• 72.1% — P-H-M second graders passing IREAD