BLOOMINGTON - Irving Elementary School's significant increase in reading scores impressed a U.S. Department of Education official who visited the school Thursday.

"You have a lot of be proud of," Todd Zoellick said at an all-school assembly.

Bloomington District 87 school Superintendent Bob Nielsen showed teachers and Zoellick that the percentage of fifth-graders who met or exceeded Illinois Standards Achievement Test reading standards has nearly doubled since last year. Last year, 46.4 percent of fifth-graders met or exceeded the standards, but this year 84.4 percent did.

Zoellick, the deputy education secretary's regional representative, said his stops this week in the Twin Cities are among visits he makes to hundreds of schoolchildren each month. His territory, which covers six Midwestern states, has about 10 million children, he said.

Zoellick, said he is a bridge between the "real world" classrooms and lawmakers and officials in Washington, D.C.

Nielsen's news prompted the school's faculty and staff to applaud the students.

"I hope you have a sense of how proud I am of you," Nielsen told the teachers.

The results are more than just numbers; they represent skills students have learned, said Teresa Hill, assistant superintendent of curriculum.

Low-income, black and Hispanic children made especially notable strides in closing the achievement gap between them and the rest of the student body, Nielsen said.

"That is a phenomenal achievement rate," he said.

Principal Rich Stempinski said fifth-grade results represent a building process. The same group of students showed improving scores as they moved through third, fourth and fifth grades.

When this group of students reached third grade, 59.3 percent met or exceeded state reading standards. That rose to 75.9 percent when they were in fourth grade and 84.4 percent when they were in fifth grade, he said.

"What we had in place is really taking effect," Stempinski said of reading improvement programs and other intervention efforts.

Nielsen said Irving was at a low about 11 years ago when he first joined district, and it has steadily improved over the years.

"I wish I could express how proud I am us this. It's indescribable," Nielsen said.

All six District 87 elementary schools made adequate yearly progress this year as defined by the state under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Bloomington Junior High did so for the first time, Nielsen said.

Improvements have been made at Bloomington High School, but work remains to be done there, he said.

Zoellick spent Thursday visiting District 87 schools. He plans to visit Unit 5's Glenn and Oakdale elementary and Parkside Junior High schools and Normal Community High School.