SALEM, OR — Oregon students held steady in proficiency in reading, writing, math and science, the scores on statewide tests show. This comes as the state makes a major push to boost high school graduation rates and college attendance.
The state Department of Education released the results of the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) on Wednesday. Challenges remain for minority students, poor students, those learning English and students with learning disabilities. While there were ups and downs in grades and subjects, the department said overall test results held fairly steady from the 2012-13 school year to 2013-14.
Chief Education Officer Nancy Golden said third-grade reading is a good predictor for life-long success, and that measure stayed unchanged at 66% of third-graders meeting the standard.
In 2012, Governor John Kitzhaber set a goal that every student in the high school class of 2025 would graduate and 80% of them would go on to get a two- or four-year college degree. Schools saw an overall increase in state and local spending of $1.1 billion over a two-year period. About $18 million in grants focused on turning around poor scores among minority students, poor students, those learning English, and students with learning disabilities, the department said.
Among all students, proficiency in math was unchanged at 62% meeting or exceeding standards. Poor students were unchanged at 50%. White students rose 1%, to 68%. Black students declined 2%, to 38%, and Hispanic students remained at 46% meeting standards.
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