Testing data for 2024-25 school year now available
MADISON — Standardized assessment results released today by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction show a slight increase in student performance in both English language arts and mathematics during the 2024-25 school year.
According to data from the Wisconsin Student Assessment System — which includes the Forward Exam, Dynamic Learning Maps, the PreACT Secure and the ACT — 47.7 percent of students in all tested grades met or exceeded expectations in ELA, while 48.6 percent did so in mathematics on tests administered in spring 2025. Statewide data also shows performance gaps among different student subgroups continue to exist.
“While these test scores give us some insight into how our kids are doing academically, they represent a snapshot from a single day and are only one piece of the puzzle,” State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly said. “Our students, educators, and schools are facing growing challenges — from mental health struggles to economic uncertainty — and that context matters. 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. Recruiting and retaining great teachers in our classrooms is one of the most powerful ways we can help all kids succeed.”
The Forward Exam assesses students in grades three through eight in ELA and mathematics. Starting last year, the test started including a separate reading score within the ELA assessment, aligning with Wisconsin’s ongoing efforts to strengthen literacy and improve student outcomes.
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.
On the ELA portion of the Forward, public school students saw a 0.5 percentage point increase in performance, while students in Choice programs experienced a 2.3 percentage point decline. In mathematics, public school performance dipped slightly by 0.3 percentage points, and Choice student performance declined by 2.7 percentage points.
Statewide participation among public school students continues to improve, with 96 percent of eligible students participating in the WSAS. Participation among Choice students, however, declined by more than 3 percentage points, with 76.7 percent tested.
Full assessment data can be found on the DPI’s WISEdash Public Portal.
The WSAS exams are administered annually in the spring. The Forward Exam is given in third through eighth grades and 10th grade, the PreACT Secure is given in ninth and 10th grades, the ACT with writing is given in 11th grade, and Dynamic Learning Maps is given across all tested grades to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. More information on standardized assessments in Wisconsin can be found on the DPI’s website.
