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Tuesday, May 13, 2025

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Trump and China call off the divorce; Court ruling allows transgender troop removal to proceed; NC University provides guaranteed opportunity to students in struggling region; Program elimination, job loss as DOGE cuts funds for NM's AmeriCorps.

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Advocates say Republicans' scaled back Medicaid cuts still put too much in jeopardy. President Trump defends getting a luxury jet from Qatar, and frustration grows among museum executives who say White House is trying to erase history.

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Volunteers with AmeriCorps are reeling from near elimination of the 30-year-old program, Head Start has dodged demise but funding cuts are likely, moms are the most vulnerable when extreme weather hits, and in California, bullfrogs await their 15-minutes of fame.

Indiana sets goal to boost 3rd grade reading proficiency

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Thursday, March 27, 2025   

Indiana's third grade reading scores show progress but gaps remain.

The latest IREAD3 results show about 82% of students passed in 2024, up slightly from the year before. But scores are still below pre-pandemic levels. Special education students, English learners, and low-income children struggle the most.

Tami Silverman, president and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute, said early childhood shapes literacy skills and many Indiana children lack access to quality early learning.

"We know that 27 of Indiana's 92 counties had proficiency levels below the state average," Silverman observed. "That's actually up from prior years, so that's five more than what it was."

Several programs help close gaps, including On My Way Pre-K, which gives low-income children access to preschool, Reach Out and Read Indiana promotes early reading and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library sends free books to kids. A $9.5 million Lilly Endowment grant will expand after-school and summer reading programs.

Indiana is aiming for 95% reading proficiency by 2027 but Silverman pointed out financial struggles create more barriers.

"Some of those financial hardships bring on stressors like food insecurity, housing instability," Silverman outlined. "All of those things inhibit early learning, including but not limited to literacy."


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