Wisconsin's opportunity gap for Black, white students still among worst in U.S.

From JSOnline:

Cleo Krejci

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

As in previous years, 2024 testing data show Wisconsin had the largest gap in reading and math scores between Black and white students of any state in the U.S.

For Wisconsin fourth graders, 51% of white students tested "proficient" or better in math. For Black students, the score was just 5% — an opportunity gap of 46 percentage points.

Those are among the 2024 results of the U.S. Department of Education's National Assessment of Educational Progress test, sometimes called the "Nation's Report Card." Released Wednesday, the results reflect how fourth and eighth grade students performed on national math and reading tests, which are distinct from Wisconsin's Forward Exam.

Overall, Wisconsin students tested better than their peers compared to national averages. The state's eighth grade students scored third-highest in the U.S. for math, NAEP data show.

In an interview, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly said the NAEP results are a high standard to meet, and are different than grade-level proficiency.

She also said the 2024 results reflect a need to increase funding for public education in Wisconsin.

In particular, Underly said what's needed to address disparities in test results between Black and white students are school resources: among them, highly qualified teachers in classrooms, quality school nutrition, mental health resources, child care, after-school programs and funding for literacy in Wisconsin Act 20.

"If we're serious about closing opportunity gaps and setting up all students for success, we have to stop underfunding public education," Underly said.

Without those resources, Underly said, forces like poverty continue to take a toll on students' ability to learn.

Wisconsin could address the gaps, she said.

"We know what will fix it," Underly said. "But yet, our state Legislature just chooses not to. And that's the hard part for me to accept as a human, and as a mom, and as a teacher."

2024 math and reading scores for all Wisconsin students

• Grade four math: 42% of Wisconsin students tested "proficient" or better compared to a national score of 39%. Wisconsin's 2024 data represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 43%, according to NAEP.
• Grade eight math: 37% of Wisconsin students tested "proficient" or better compared to a national score of 27%. Wisconsin's data from 2024 represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 33%, according to NAEP.
• Grade four reading: 31% of Wisconsin students tested "proficient" or better compared to a national score of 30%. Wisconsin's 2024 data represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 33%, according to NAEP.
• Grade eight reading: 31% of Wisconsin students tested "proficient" or better compared to a national score of 29%. Wisconsin's 2024 data represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 32%, according to NAEP.

2024 math and reading scores for Wisconsin students broken down by racial gaps

• Grade four math: 51% of Wisconsin white students overall tested "proficient" or better compared to 5% of Black students.
• Grade eight math: 45% of Wisconsin white students overall tested "proficient" or better compared to 7% of Black students.
• Grade four reading: 38% of Wisconsin white students overall tested "proficient" or better compared to 8% of Black students.
• Grade eight reading: 36% of Wisconsin white students overall tested "proficient" or better compared to 9% of Black students.

Washington, D.C. reported a larger gap between Black and white student test scores, according to NAEP data.

How did Milwaukee Public Schools students perform in 2024 standardized math and reading tests?

District-by-district test results from the NAEP are available for 26 large urban districts around the U.S., including Milwaukee Public Schools.

The 2024 data show MPS students tested below their peer group of large urban districts.

• Grade four math: 12% of MPS students tested proficient or above, compared to 33% for large cities. MPS' 2024 data represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 11%, according to NAEP.
• Grade eight math: 8% of MPS students tested proficient or above, compared to 23% for large cities. MPS' 2024 data represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 7%, according to NAEP.
• Grade four reading: 9% of MPS students tested proficient or above, compared to 26% for large cities. MPS' 2024 data represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 12%, according to NAEP.
• Grade eight reading: 15% of MPS students tested proficient or above, compared to 26% for large cities. MPS' 2024 data represents no significant change from the 2022 score of 14%, according to NAEP.

Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa.

From: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2025/01/29/how-well-did-wisconsin-students-do-in-math-and-reading-in-2024-tests/77972486007/