Education

Test Scores For Red State’s Students Are Still Staggeringly Low

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Over two years removed from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ohio students are still struggling to succeed in the classroom, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

The latest release of state test scores shows that 51% of students were unable to pass high school algebra in 2022, compared to 39% before the pandemic, according to state test data reported by the Dispatch. In addition to math scores, reading scores fell below pre-pandemic levels at a 33.5% proficiency.

In Columbus, only 13% of public-school students were considered “proficient” in math, the Dispatch reported. Across all state tests only 28% of students scored above proficient.

“Due to the pandemic, students have paid dearly and may remain off track in math and reading. It’s time we give them back their lost year of learning – and much more,” said Aaron Churchill, research director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Most states have experienced struggles to boost student test scores; Nevada, for example, reports less than 30% of its students are proficient in math. Though scores are 3.5% over pandemic numbers, they are still 7% lower than pre-pandemic numbers, according to the Nevada Current.

How Ohio test scores fell with new tests, expectations #OhioEd #K12 https://t.co/HTIG0bv7cM

— Ohio School Boards (@OHschoolboards) September 19, 2017

“We are pleased to see that Nevada’s statewide proficiency rate in both [English Language Arts] and Math have shown an increase from the 2020-21 school year,” Ebert said in a press release. “This demonstrates that the tremendous efforts made by our educators are having a positive impact on student outcomes. These results are moving in the right direction, and we need to invest and accelerate what is working.”