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Central Catholic School Recognized for Dramatic Literacy Gain
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August 17, 2025Central Catholic School Recognized at State Board of Education Meeting for Dramatic Literacy Gain
Central Catholic School, a PK-8 school on the southside of Indianapolis and part of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis's Mother Theodore Catholic Academies (MTCA), was invited to share their story at the Indiana Board of Education’s August 13meeting about its significant strides in student literacy, reporting a 51.7 percentage-point increase in IREAD (Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination) proficiency in just one year.
Through a strategic three-pillar plan and a transformative partnership with the Indiana Literacy Cadre, the School raised its IREAD pass rate from 48.3% in 2023-24 to 100% in 2024-25.
This improvement is significant among all student populations, and specifically, the statewide average gain (7.5%) for economically disadvantaged and English learner populations. “We are very happy that Secretary of Education Dr. Katie Jenner and the Indiana State Board of Education recognized the outstanding work at Central Catholic School last week,” said Brian Disney, superintendent of Archdiocese of Indianapolis Catholic Schools and interim executive director of MTCA.
Central Catholic serves a diverse student body, with 94% of students identifying as Hispanic, Black, or multiracial. Their students also represent 11 countries, with the majority coming from homes where English is not the primary language.Students who do not pass the new IREAD proficiency are required to attend summer school or risk being held back. Central Catholic Principal Tami Clouse, who spoke about the school’s success at the Indiana State Board of Education meeting on August 13, said, "When you factor in that 66 percent of our students in grades 1 through 8 are multilingual learners, and it typically takes five to seven years to acquire a new language, that's the reality we’re working with."
To address this challenge, Central Catholic formed a leadership team that included administrators, ENL (English as a New Language) teachers, a special education teacher, and a literacy coach through the Indiana Literacy Cadre—a partnership between:- The State of Indiana
- The University of Indianapolis's CELL
- Marian University's Center for Vibrant Schools.
A Three-Pillar Approach to Success The school's plan focused on three critical areas:
1. Assessment – Every student was evaluated using a home language survey and a WIDA Screener to understand their literacy starting point better.
2. Targeted Instruction – Data-driven pre-assessments and post-assessments guided small group instruction. "We were constantly adjusting based on what the data told us," said Clouse. "Our literacy cadre coach worked with all of our teachers to make sure those small groups were really focused and effective. As students mastered a skill, they'd move on to the next group or go back to the classroom for more targeted work on reading fluency."
3. Family Engagement – With most families speaking a language other than English, the school made intentional efforts to involve parents in their children's reading journeys.
"We really had to think differently about how we connected with parents," Clouse said. "The biggest shift for us was helping them see that reading is reading—no matter the language. Our parents are fully capable of supporting their kids, and that realization built confidence and trust on all sides." Disney praised the school’s dedication."We are proud of the amazing commitment of our students, parents, leaders, teachers, and volunteers who made this success possible. Their investment at Central Catholic and all the archdiocesan schools is inspirational.”
As a model for how schools can meet educational challenges with innovation and heart, Central Catholic's success offers hope and guidance for other schools serving multilingual and underserved communities.