(The Center Square) – Even with a new scoring schedule and improvement in some grades, less than half of students in Wisconsin schools are reading and doing math at grade level.
The state’s Department of Public Instruction recently released the scores from this year’s Forward Exam and ACT tests.
“According to data from the Wisconsin Student Assessment System 48.4% of students in grades 3-11 were proficient or above in ELA, while 48.7% were proficient or above in math,” DPI said.
There were some slight improvements in middle school reading scores. Reading proficiency for eighth-graders jumped by about 1.5%. The scores also showed the proficiency in math fell by .9%.
"Wisconsin students continue to make steady progress, and we should be proud of that progress," State Superintendent Jill Underly said. "At the same time, we know too many students are still not where they need to be. Every student deserves the opportunity to become a strong reader, a skilled mathematician, and a successful learner. We have more work to do as a state to give our students the support they need and give educators the tools and resources they need to help them succeed. We owe it to every student and every educator to keep moving it forward."
But Quinton Klabon with the Institute for Reforming Government said Wisconsin students are not making the kind of progress they need.
“It is that time of year again. Our test scores stagnate, Wisconsin’s leaders promise to do better, and we meet back here the same time next year,” Klabon said. “Wisconsin’s children deserve the best education in the world, and it is time we start providing it.”
While sub-50% proficiency rates are bad, Klabon said the scores for minority and low-income students in Wisconsin are worse.
The new scores show that barely 15% of black elementary and middle school students can do math at grade level. The scores show 63% of white students in those same grades are doing math at grade level.
Just 20% of black students in third through eighth grade are reading as they should. The scores show 63% of white kids in the same grades are reading at grade level.
Klabon said those are the scores after Wisconsin lowered the bar to make it look like more kids are proficient.
“DPI lowered proficiency benchmarks," Klabon added on X. "Instead of lowering 'proficient' from 'college-ready' to 'grade level, DPI just made it 50th percentile."