OLYMPIA, Wash. – Spring test scores show public school students in Washington are recovering in math, but need more focus on literacy.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction released results from assessments done last spring.
The state specifically highlighted test scores since the pandemic, showing that more students are meeting grade-level standards than they were in 2021, but the numbers haven’t significantly increased.
OSPI acknowledges the scores are not back to where they were before the pandemic when schools were shut down for months and students were learning from home.
The state points out that math scores are increasing in all grade levels, which was the subject that saw the largest decrease during the pandemic. Tenth-grade scores decreased slightly between 2022 and 2023.
Literacy numbers show little to no improvement for most grade levels.
“In English language arts, the data indicate a need for a renewed focus on literacy,” OSPI said in its release. The state points to a world that’s more “digitally connected” and that fewer kids describe themselves as “frequent readers.”
You can see the OSPI data and search by district and by school at this link.
One school in Spokane Valley was recognized for its work to mend these learning gaps during the 2022-2023 school year.
Orchard Center Elementary said it was able to do this by focusing on making students feel seen and creating an atmosphere of belonging.
“At any given time, if you walk through, we call it Grand Central Station. There’s always people walking,” said Orchard Center Elementary principal Lindsay Stinger. “People are talking about kids, talking about success.”
West Valley School District said just like other schools in the area, it struggled with attendance. The approach the district took toward fixing this has been making students feel like they belong.
“If you feel safe, then you can learn,” Stinger said. “You cannot learn and grow in a space that you don’t feel supported, that you don’t feel heard, and you don’t feel seen. That’s really what we see here.”
The district said it is still addressing some of the attendance and learning gaps brought on by the pandemic. One initiative the district has started to address this is introducing professional learning communities. This provides additional support before and after school, mentorship, and homework help.
“It’s a solid partnership with our community partners but also our parents,” said superintendent Kyle Rydell.
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