Wisconsin students made modest improvements in reading and mathematics during the 2025-26 school year, according to new statewide assessment data released Thursday by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
The results show proficiency rates increased slightly in English language arts and reading across most grades and student groups. Math proficiency also improved among middle and high school students, although elementary students saw a slight decline compared with the previous year.
Statewide, 48.4% of students in grades 3 through 11 scored proficient or above in English language arts, while 48.7% reached proficiency in mathematics. The figures include students attending Wisconsin public schools as well as private schools participating in the state’s Choice program.
Among public school students, proficiency rates were higher, with 49.7% meeting or exceeding standards in English language arts and 50.2% doing so in mathematics. Students attending Choice schools recorded proficiency rates of 30.2% in English language arts and 27.3% in mathematics.
State Superintendent Jill Underly said the results reflect progress but also underscore continued challenges.
“Wisconsin students continue to make steady progress, and we should be proud of that progress,” Underly said. “At the same time, we know too many students are still not where they need to be.”
The data also showed continued efforts to close long-standing achievement gaps. The proficiency gap between Black and white students narrowed slightly, decreasing by 0.4 percentage points in English language arts to 40.1% and by 1.4 percentage points in mathematics to 44.9% compared with 2023-24 levels.
Reading scores showed one of the strongest areas of improvement. The state’s Forward Exam, which assesses students in grades 3 through 8, reported higher reading proficiency in every tested grade. Wisconsin added a separate reading score within the English language arts assessment beginning in the 2023-24 school year as part of a broader literacy initiative.
The Department of Public Instruction said it is continuing work on statewide literacy and mathematics plans designed to improve student outcomes and support educators. The agency is also moving forward with its Wisconsin Portrait of a Graduate initiative, which is intended to outline the skills and competencies students need to succeed after high school.
Complete assessment results are available through the DPI’s WISEdash Public Portal.