Oregon Department Of Education Releases Statewide Assessment Results, Less Than Half Of Students Tested Proficient

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Education Thursday released the results of the Spring 2022 Oregon Statewide Assessment.

The ODE says the tests are designed to identify differences in student group outcomes and help improve the education system.

However, they’re not intended to measure the breadth of academic learning.

Students in grades 3-8 and 11th were tested in English Language Arts and Math.

Students in grades 5, 8, and 11th were also tested in Science.

Parents could opt students out of the tests.

About 44 percent of students tested were proficient in English Language Arts, just over 30 percent were proficient in math, and about 30 percent were proficient in Science.

“The assessment results are a call to action for Oregon to keep advancing the programs we know meet our students’ needs,” ODE Director Colt Gill said. “As expected, the pandemic had an impact on learning in Oregon and across the country. Thanks to lawmakers passing the Student Success Act, and the agency’s implementation of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund, additional mental health and wellbeing supports, summer learning and other crucial programs providing engaging instruction and boosting mental health have been implemented. We believe the framework is in place to be able to help Oregon’s students achieve. Oregon’s students of color, tribal citizens, students who experience disability, students navigating poverty and rural students were disproportionately impacted and investments to renew and accelerate learning need to focus on these communities. We stand with our districts as they move forward with the plans they created with local community input to address the needs they see in their schools.”

Governor Kate Brown added, “Every student deserves the chance to graduate from school prepared for lifelong success. As our schools, students and families continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, we must continue to accelerate state and federal investments in high- quality instruction and strategies that support academic success, student mental health and other student needs, with a particular focus on equity and helping the students who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.”

But, there is some good news from Director Gill, “While current generations in our country have not experienced learning disruptions on the scale of a global pandemic, previous generations have, School has been significantly disrupted by disease, natural disaster, war and other events for people in this country and others throughout history. We are resilient, if nothing else. Our students will succeed. And our teachers,
counselors, bus drivers and others will be there to ensure they do. We have already seen assessment scores rising for students who have had more time back in onsite learning. With the right support, caring educators and deep partnerships with families and community, our students will thrive.”

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