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Minnesota test scores haven't recovered — What educators say needs to change
Minnesota students are still struggling to reach grade level — and the numbers haven't budged much since the pandemic hit. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota students are still struggling to reach grade level — and the numbers haven't budged much since the pandemic hit.
Grade-level gaps: Where students stand
The latest Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment results are in, and they paint a concerning picture for students across the state.
What we know:
Math scores took a sharp hit in 2021 and have stayed below 50% ever since, according to the assessments. Reading results are only slightly better statewide.
You can find your school’s results here.
The gap between schools is striking. More than 87% of students at Scenic Heights Elementary in Minnetonka are proficient in math, while at Webster in Minneapolis, that number sits at just 6.4%.
"That's still pretty bad when only 45% of our kids are doing math at grade level. We want to see significant gains there, and we're just seeing kind of steady business as usual," said Josh Crosson, Executive Director of EdAllies.
On the reading side, school administrators say they are beginning to see some positive signs from changes made through the READ Act. Early literacy screening data shows about 86% of first-graders are picking up on the return to phonics instruction, according to administrators.
Crosson said math and science need the same kind of focused attention that reading has been getting. "I would say that the state needs to prioritize how we're improving math and science and how kids are receiving those standards in a very similar way that we're doing around literacy," said Crosson.
What educators and lawmakers are saying
What they're saying:
Rep. Ben Bakeberg, a Republican lawmaker and Jordan Middle School principal, believes the solutions may already exist inside schools — but educators need more room to use them.
"We need to trust our local educators, give them the funding, the flexibility. We need to pull back just the ridiculous number of mandates that are on our schools," said Bakeberg.
Crosson also weighed in on the push from educators for change. "I think educators are asking for that," said Crosson.
Leaders in some districts also flagged that students experienced disruptions and absences during Operation Metro Surge, which took place just before testing began, according to those district leaders.
What's next for Minnesota's testing system
What's next:
The state will begin reviewing its entire testing process in October. A 28-member task force will examine whether better alternatives exist to measure student performance, whether the timing of testing is working and whether participation rates — currently sitting around 95% — are where they need to be.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear what specific changes, if any, the task force will ultimately recommend. The group is expected to deliver new recommendations to the legislature by March 2027.
Students and parents can apply to provide feedback to the task force until Oct. 9.
Crosson urged caution about scrapping the current system entirely.
"There are ways to modernize our assessment data, but we can't throw out the entire system in the name of it's not perfect, right?" said Crosson.
The Source: FOX 9's Corin Hoggard contributed to this report.