Minnesota's latest grim test scores require correction

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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Minnesota students are still struggling to recover academically from learning losses during the pandemic — and to reverse the downward slide in test scores that began before COVID forced remote learning.

The latest disappointing state proficiency test scores show how crucial it is for school staff to focus on proven instructional methods to teach the basics. The results also indicate that there's work to be done on the most basic of all basics — to increase student attendance rates at school, which have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Scores from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) and other exams, released last week by the Department of Education (MDE), showed that just under half of public-school students are proficient in reading, math and science. Compared with the previous year, there was a 1% increase in math proficiency rates (to 45.5%), a 1% decrease in reading (to 49.9 %) and a 2% (to 39.2%) decrease in science scores.

Notably, those scores remain about 10 percentage points below their pre-pandemic levels measured in 2019. In addition to the tests, the state's education accountability system also uses academic progress, attendance and graduation rates to measure how well schools are performing.

Racial disparities also persist. The results show that while half of Minnesota kids overall met state reading benchmarks, fewer than 1 in 3 Black, Latino and American Indian students did.

"We will not shy away from what the data are telling us. These results send a renewed sense of urgency and underscore the importance of key supports that are already underway," MDE Commissioner Willie Jett said in a statement. "As we enter a new school year, MDE is committed to providing support, through programs such as COMPASS and implementing the READ Act and other new legislation, to help every school in Minnesota" improve, he said.

MDE's COMPASS system — Collaborative Minnesota Partnerships to Advance Student Success — gives struggling districts and schools additional teaching resources. And the newly approved state Read Act is sending additional resources to state schools so they can use proven teacher development and student instruction reading programs.

But that "sense of urgency" is key. Educators, communities and families must double down on using best practices to improve student academic achievement.

On attendance, for example, the data show that rates fell to just under 70% of students attending at least 90% of the time. Prior to the pandemic, Minnesota's consistent attendance rate was substantially better, at about 85%. District staff and families must take action to ensure that students are in school.

It's also essential that school district leaders use additional state dollars wisely. In May, Minnesota lawmakers approved a record $71.5 billion two-year budget that included a nearly $2.3 billion increase in education funding. That brings state spending on public schools to $11.9 billion this fiscal year — nearly 31% of the general fund budget. About $75 million of that is for the Read Act to overhaul how literacy is taught.

Some additional help to improve reading and math education through tutoring is on the way. Research has shown that intensive one-on-one work with kids makes a difference in reading and math. Hundreds of tutors are needed throughout the entire Twin Cities metro, according to AmeriCorps programs Reading Corps, Math Corps and Early Learning Corps. Those groups are currently recruiting and training people to work with students at all grade levels across the metro's seven counties. It's hard to imagine a more valuable contribution to the community.

For more information, go to readingandmath.org.