New data now available for the Reading Scores indicator from the 2025 County Health Rankings.

The latest data on 3rd grade English Language Arts (ELA) performance are now available. This indicator reports the average grade-level performance of 3rd graders on standardized ELA tests, where a score of 3.5 means students are performing half a grade level above expectations. This measure highlights early academic achievement in literacy, a key predictor of long-term educational success.