The results of statewide assessments administered last school year to students in grades third through eighth and 10th grade reflect the challenging learning environments that many students have faced during the pandemic, the Arizona Department of Education said on Friday when it released the scores.
The state saw an overall 4% drop in English language arts test scores and an 11% dip in mathematics scores for all students tested compared to 2018-2019 data, according to ADE.
Statewide, 38% of students passed the English language arts section, and 31% passed the mathematics section. In 2021, 84% of students took the English language arts assessment and 86% took the mathematics section.
Historically test participation rates have been at or above 95% to meet federal requirements.
Students were not tested during the 2019-2020 school year because COVID-19 forced schools to close last spring.
The department urges caution in comparing the latest results with others from previous years due to the dramatic and disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on student learning.
