Newly released state testing data shows just under half of Wisconsin’s third through eighth graders are performing at grade level in math and reading.
But the numbers drop dramatically for Black, Indigenous and Hispanic students, according to results released Thursday by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Results of the Forward Exam, a statewide test taken by Wisconsin’s third through eighth graders, the PreACT Secure test given in grades nine and 10 and the ACT given in grade 11 show 47.7 percent of students in all grades met or exceeded expectations in English, while 48.6 percent did so in math.
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When taken alone, the Forward Exam showed Wisconsin students were 51.6 percent proficient reading and 53.1 percent proficient in math.
But when you break down the numbers based on race, the picture looks very different:
| GROUP | 2025 READING PROFICENT | 2025 MATH PROFICENT | 2025 READ BELOW | 2025 MATH BELOW |
| Wisconsin | 51.6% | 53.1% | 19.6% | 20.2% |
| Non-White | 33.5% | 32.1% | 33.8% | 35.9% |
| White | 61.1% | 64.0% | 12.1% | 11.8% |
| Hispanic | 33.0% | 31.2% | 33.8% | 34.3% |
| Black | 18.1% | 14.0% | 48.9% | 55.8% |
| Asian | 48.0% | 53.9% | 20.3% | 17.9% |
| Indigenous | 29.4% | 27.5% | 33.9% | 36.9% |
| Source: DPI |
State Superintendent Jill Underly said the test scores do give some insight into how students are doing academically but only represent a snapshot of a single day.
“Our students, educators, and schools are facing growing challenges — from mental health struggles to economic uncertainty — and that context matters,” Underly said in a statement.
“These results remind us why it’s so important to support the whole child and ensure every Wisconsin student has access to strong, caring educators,” Underly continued. “Recruiting and retaining great teachers in our classrooms is one of the most powerful ways we can help all kids succeed.”
Chris Bucher, a spokesperson for DPI, said there is a direct correlation between poverty and economic achievement.
Bucher said the annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that one in four high school students said they have experienced hunger.
“Kids can’t learn if they are hungry,” Bucher said. “Dr. Underly proposed universal school meals, but the Legislature stripped it from the budget. I want to reiterate, there is not one single fix.”
This year’s data is comparable to last year’s, but not previous years.
In 2024, DPI lowered the threshold for what is proficient and changed the terms to describe student success. Most noticeably, “basic” and “below basic” are no longer being used.
In the 2024-25 school year, public school students showed a slight improvement in reading performance, with overall Forward scores in reading rising by 0.3 percentage points over the previous year.
Students participating in Private School Choice Programs saw a 2.5 percentage point decline in reading performance on the Forward.
In math, public school performance dipped slightly by 0.3 percentage points, and Choice student performance declined by 2.7 percentage points.
In Milwaukee, math scores increased slightly, but English, social studies and science did not change.
English proficiency ranged from 19 percent at grades nine to 10 to 29 percent at grades seven to eight. Math proficiency ranged from 14 percent at grade 10 to 24 percent at grade three. Wide gaps remain between Black and white students and between students with disabilities and their peers without disabilities.
MPS is rolling out a new literacy plan that includes 40 hours of dedicated training this year for all educators in the district.
During an appearance at the Milwaukee Press Club on Wednesday, MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said instead of looking backwards, she wants to look ahead.
“So I would anticipate in the future, we’ll see little bumps up, that’s what I would like to see,” Cassellius said. “And if I don’t see bumps going up, then I know that I need to readjust our process and that, of course, is continuous improvement.”
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