Minnesota math and reading scores last year slipped closer to the national average, according to test figures released Wednesday.
The government-funded National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which calls itself the nation’s report card, tests a representative sample of fourth- and eighth-graders in math and reading every two years.
Minnesota’s latest scores fell slightly across the board compared to 2017, and the state’s eighth-graders fell into a statistical tie with the national average in reading.
The results follow recent declines on the state’s own annual tests, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments.
“By every available measure student proficiency and academic performance is slipping, and we’re failing to make meaningful progress closing our shameful achievement gap,” Republican Reps. Ron Kresha of Little Falls and Sondra Erickson of Princeton said in a joint statement.
The House education leaders noted the fourth-graders were the first class of students to get free, all-day kindergarten in 2014, which many expected would result in academic gains. And they accused Gov. Tim Walz’s administration of focusing on graduation rates over math and reading proficiency.
Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota, the state teachers union, said schools need more money.
“Minnesota won’t disrupt the opportunity gaps among our students until our elected leaders find the courage to raise the revenue from the wealthiest Minnesotans and corporations to make the necessary, multi-billion-dollar investments in our public schools,” she said.
NAEP said both Minnesota and the country as a whole have seen statistically significant declines in fourth- and eighth-grade math since 2013.
U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos called the latest results “devastating” and noted gaps have grown between the highest- and lowest-performing students.
Some attribute the dip in performance to the Great Recession and resulting cuts to public programs. Last year’s fourth-graders were born during that major economic slump.
Despite 1- and 3-point declines on a 500-point scale, Minnesota still ranks among the top three states in math for both grades tested.
In reading, the average fourth-grade score fell by 3 points — good for a 12th place tie nationally.
Eighth-grade reading scores fell by 5 points, placing Minnesota in a tie for 17th. That score was just 2 points better than the national average, which NAEP said is not a statistically significant difference.
It’s the only time since NAEP administration began in 1998 that Minnesota eighth-graders were not significantly above average in reading.