Education Assessment Results: Positive Trends Emerge in D.C. and Minnesota

Students in Washington D.C. showed modest improvements in standardized test scores last school year, indicating some progress in recovering from the pandemic's impact on education. However, the results also highlight that students have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Efforts such as tutoring, teacher training, and mental health support have contributed to the incremental gains. The improvements were funded by federal coronavirus relief funds, and officials are now examining which interventions should receive long-term investment. While reading scores improved across most groups, proficiency rates still lag behind pre-pandemic levels. Math scores also increased or remained stable, but performance gaps widened. Middle school students showed the largest gains, while high school students struggled due to spotty attendance and missed learning opportunities.