Iowa students show improvement on test scores

(The Center Square) - Iowa students are exceeding pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels in some grades, although “significant” proficiency gaps remain for specific student groups, according to the Iowa Department of Education’s annual student assessment results.

Student achievement reached or exceeded pre-pandemic levels in most grades, the assessment showed.

Proficiency rates in English language arts improved or remained the same in all grades except third. The most significant improvements in English were observed in grades 6, 7, and 8.

Long-term results in math did not show “meaningful” progress in most grades, according to the results. Grades 3, 5, 6, and 8 improved slightly, and grades 7 and 11 showed no improvement, according to the results.

English language arts results for third graders showed an exception compared to other grades that either improved or stayed the same. Grade 3 saw a decrease in proficiency compared to 2023. Third-grade students were in kindergarten during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The assessment found that student groups experiencing “much lower” levels of proficiency included students with disabilities and those who were English learners. Also, students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch showed proficiency gaps.

The group with the largest proficiency gap for both English language arts and math were English learners, followed by students with disabilities. The smallest proficiency gap was between overall students and those eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the results found.

The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress is issued every spring and is used, in part, to show teachers the subject matter areas where students are doing well and where they are lagging.

The DOE said it will use the assessment results to inform focus areas for improvement.

“We celebrate the successes of our learners, and we continue to work in partnership with families and educators to provide all students what they need to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Informed by our student achievement data, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening early literacy and narrowing and closing achievement gaps experienced by students with disabilities and students who are English language learners.”

This year, the State Board of Education adopted new “rigorous, content-rich” standards for English and math to improve student proficiency, the DOE said. The standards were built with input from teachers, administrators, parents, content experts and more, according to the DOE.

“State law requires an ongoing review of Iowa’s academic standards, including public comment, to ensure content is current and aligns with best practices,” the DOE said.