WA students post best math, English scores since pre-pandemic

Washington students are posting some of their best test scores in math and English in quite some time.

“The rate of progress for the first time in years, the growth that we see in our students from year to year to year, is finally pre-pandemic,” Washington School Superintendent Chris Reykdal told KIRO Newsradio.

Reykdal said Washington ranks second in English and fourth in math among 12 states using the same test vendor. Students met grade-level standards in English at a 71% rate and a 63% rate in math.

“Very large gaps that still persist, particularly among students who are low-income versus those who do not experience poverty,” Reykdal added.

Reykdal also noted that the tests are not pass/fail, and that they do not provide a complete picture of a student’s knowledge and skills. Many students see their performance fluctuate year over year.

Jake and Spike react to declining scores nationally

While Washington students continue to outperform their peers nationally, reading and math scores across the globe have been declining for the last 13 and 16 years, respectively.

“The trends that we are seeing across the nation are mirrored internationally,” Reykdal said. “Both the way that young people are engaging with content in our digital world and the needs of the workforce are evolving all the time. To maintain competitiveness, our teaching has to evolve with it.”

Only 33% of high school seniors were considered academically prepared for college-level math courses in 2024, according to NBC News, a decline from 37% in 2019.

“It’s frightening. It’s not just a shame, it’s frightening,” KIRO host Spike O’Neill said. “How do we move forward?”

“I have a fix for this problem, it’s two-pronged,” KIRO host Jake Skorheim said. “First, uniforms are one of them. Takes away the stress and pressure from all these kids who feel like they have to impress other people. Also, you’re thinking too outwardly. You need to be thinking about what’s going on in your head and thinking about your character development and a little bit less about what your jeans look like.”

Jake’s second solution? Banning cell phones.

“Just get rid of the screens. Absolutely, get rid of the screens,” Jake said. “Obviously, that is playing a huge part in how kids are engaging with their schoolwork these days, and with the world itself.”

Jake also referenced the dangers of social media in the fallout of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Extremely graphic videos of Kirk getting shot were circulating online on social media platforms like X, with no barriers or protections against viewing them.

“Then we wonder why kids are having stress and anxiety at levels never before recorded,” Jake said. “It’s because they’re being asked to consider the problems of the world when the only problem teenagers really need to be focusing on is, like, how greasy and bad their skin is.”

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