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FACT BRIEF

In the 2020-21 school year, did zero students at Westside Academy in Milwaukee test proficient in math?

By Erin Gretzinger
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YES

For the 2020-21 school year, no students out of 32 tested at the Milwaukee Public School's Westside Academy scored "proficient" in math, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The majority scored "below basic" — the lowest rank. However, the state notes that the 2020-21 school year data should be used with caution due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused low participation rates. 

Combining data from 2018-2021, 3% of Westside Academy students scored "proficient" in math. Over 99% of Westside Academy students are economically disadvantaged, which often correlates with lower academic achievement. The Department of Public Instruction says 99% of K-5 schools in Wisconsin scored better than Westside Academy in English and math. 

Statewide, test scores in math have dropped since the onset of the pandemic. In the spring 2022 Forward exams, 39% of Wisconsin students tested proficient or higher in math. About 43% scored proficient or higher in 2019, with a similar drop in English proficiency. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Fewer than half of Wisconsin students were proficient in math, language, according to 2022 standardized tests
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Westside Academy Report Card
US News & World Report Westside Academy
The Conversation Students’ test scores tell us more about the community they live in than what they know
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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.