2024 Oregon student assessment reveals ‘critical area of concern’

PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – The Oregon Department of Education released results from a statewide assessment — revealing students have made some progress achieving learning targets; however, one subject is a “critical area of concern,” officials said.

The results are based on the Oregon Statewide Assessment System from the spring, which are used to find ways the state can improve the education system and is not used to evaluate students.

The results found that students saw small improvements in math proficiency, followed by mixed results for science and slow, uneven proficiency for English language arts.

Progress in math

Even though students showed there’s “significant room to grow,” ODE said gains in math were one of the “encouraging” aspects of this year’s test results.

Students across grade levels showed signs of improvement in math, particularly among fifth, seventh, and eighth graders, ODE said.

For example, in 2024, 31.4% of Oregon fifth graders met the grade-level math standard. This was a slight improvement from the 30.7% of fifth graders who met the standard in 2023.

However, these results are still below pre-pandemic levels, which included 37.8% of fifth- graders who met math standards in 2019.

ODE said the improved math scores were helped by several methods including, connecting math to other subjects such as science and social science and focusing on conceptual understanding.

English language arts concerns

While students have made progress in math, ODE said English language arts is a “critical area of concern” with students inconsistently showing grade-level knowledge and skills.

Across nearly all grade levels, ELA proficiency rates are still below pre-pandemic levels and equity gaps remain, ODE said.

For example, in 2024, 46.9% of Oregon fifth graders met ELA standards. This represented a drop from 2023, when 47% of fifth graders met ELA standards.

Students have not rebounded from pre-pandemic levels when 54% of fifth graders met ELA goals in 2019.

ODE identified strategies to help students improve their scores – including boosting investments in K-12 literacy through the Early Literacy Success Initiative and support for summer and after school learning.

“While it’s encouraging to see the signs of improvement in mathematics, we need to continue our focus on maintaining high expectations, providing opportunities for our students to succeed, and supporting our schools and educators in the hard work ahead,” ODE Director Dr. Charlene Williams said. “Several targeted efforts are underway to support students including the statewide investment and commitment to early literacy best practices. As funding and supports from the Early Literacy Success Initiative become embedded in schools, we will begin to see a significant payoff for Oregon’s scholars.”

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek echoed the department’s calls to help students as early childhood literacy has been among the governor’s priorities.

“Every child deserves a high-quality, culturally responsive public education to be set up for success. I’m not satisfied with this year’s numbers,” Governor Tina Kotek said. “We must double down on our commitment and collaboration to fix the gaps in our system that are failing students. I am focused on working with education partners across the whole system to identify evidence-based solutions, increase high-quality learning opportunities, and strengthen student wellbeing.”

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