Statewide Test Scores Remain Stagnant, How Local Districts Fared

Test scores revealed before the new school year show that there’s plenty of work to do.

Scores remained stagnant statewide, while scores have fallen few percentage points for most local districts since 2021.

Statewide, just under half of students met grade-level benchmarks for reading (49.6 percent), according to new Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments data. For math, students came in at 45.2 percent proficiency.

Minnesota education leaders stress that test scores don’t tell the whole story about a student or school.

“Every student is more than a test score or an attendance figure. Every school has its own strengths and weaknesses. Factors like students who opt-out of testing can make proficiency scores at the building level highly suspect,” said Monica Byron, president of the Education Minnesota, the state union for teachers, in a press statement. “Parents who want to know what’s happening should talk to their child’s teacher or principal.” 

Byron said one of the biggest challenges facing educators is a staffing shortage impacting more than 80 percent of districts this year. The shortage has been worsened by below-market pay, soaring health care costs and a pension system that “still needs some improvement after a significant upgrade by the 2025 Legislature,” said Byron. 

How Local School Districts Fared

Several districts in the CCX News viewing area were just above statewide averages, while others were slightly below. 

Here’s how local districts fared:

Also See: Fernbrook Elementary Starts School Despite Absence of Beloved Staff Member

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