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FACT BRIEF

Did nearly 70% of Wisconsin students fail to test 'proficient' in reading in recent assessments?

By Erin Gretzinger
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YES

According to the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress report card, 67.4% of fourth grade students in Wisconsin failed to test at proficient or above in reading. Similarly, about 67.6% of eighth grade students were not proficient or above in reading. 

The 2022 reading levels were the lowest recorded since 1998, although there were inconsistencies with data reporting standards in the early 2000s. Wisconsin also performed poorly in racial education gaps, having the widest disparity in scores between Black and white students in the nation. 

Nevertheless, Wisconsin eighth graders were three points higher than the national average and close to the national average for fourth graders in reading. 

The Wisconsin Forward exam produced similar results, with approximately 67% of eighth graders and 58% of fourth graders failing to score proficient or advanced in English Language Arts.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
The Nation's Report Card Wisconsin profile
Wisconsin Public Radio Wisconsin has widest gap in the US for math, reading scores among white and Black students
Wisconsin Department Of Public Instruction Wisconsin Forward Exam Technical Report
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.