Recent data released by the Minnesota Department of Education shows that student test scores in the state have remained stagnant, with only about half of students meeting or beating grade-level standards in math and reading. This lack of progress is reflected in the state’s persistent achievement gaps between different racial and ethnic groups.
State Education Commissioner Willie Jett expressed the need for all students to succeed and thrive in school, and highlighted the importance of using the newly released 2024 data from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments to support school communities. One potential positive development is a decrease in the percentage of students who are chronically absent from school.
Despite a slight improvement in the percentage of students who met state standards in 2021, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student achievement has been evident, with a drop of about 8 percentage points in both reading and math scores. The lack of significant progress in boosting proficiency or closing achievement gaps between white students and students of color was a concern even before the pandemic.
Moving forward, educators and policymakers will need to address these challenges and work towards improving student outcomes. With nearly half of students testing proficient in reading and math, efforts will be needed to ensure that all students have the support they need to succeed academically.
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