Fewer than half of Minnesota students are proficient in math and reading.
The results of the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment tests show that in reading, 48.6% of students met the state’s grade-level proficiency standards.
It was worse in math, with just 44.9% of students meeting the state's standard. Math scores have slightly declined since 2023. Science scores were also down.
Nancy Paez is assistant Superintendent in the St. Paul School system, where she said many of their kids were in the middle of Operation Metro Surge when taking the exams.
"Our families and our students had a really difficult winter," Paez explains. "Many students were forced to make the decision to attend school virtually in the months leading up to these assessments, because they didn't feel safe in their communities."
Paez adds there's still work to be done, saying that the MCA test is just one of the tools they use to measure success.
"At first glance, we are pleased to see that our students continue to make steady gains, specifically in math and in science on the MCA exams," Paez told WCCO. "We are regularly assessing our students in many different ways throughout the school year to ensure that we have a pulse on each student's needs."
Compared to the rest of the nation, however, Minnesota came out ahead.
Students taking the ACT averaged a score of 20.6, which is more than a full point higher than the national average.
Graduation rates have been steadily rising for the past four years, with about 84.9% of Minnesotan students graduating this year.
