This year, Appleton third- to eighth-grade students scored slightly lower on Forward Exams, according to test results released Sept. 25.
Since it’s the second year since DPI updated its Forward Exam cut scores and terminology, this year’s results are directly comparable to scores from 2023-24.
The Forward Exam is taken by Wisconsin third- through eighth-graders every spring.
Statewide, math and reading scores among Wisconsin’s third- through eighth-grade students remained relatively stagnant over the last two years.
In a news release, state Superintendent Jill Underly said test scores “represent a snapshot from a single day and are only one piece of the puzzle” of how Wisconsin kids are doing academically.
“Our students, educators, and schools are facing growing challenges — from mental health struggles to economic uncertainty — and that context matters,” she said.
See specifics on how your school district did at bit.ly/2024-25ForwardExams. Here’s an overview on how Appleton-area districts did on English language arts and math exams.
How did Appleton schools do on their Forward Exams?
The percentage of Appleton Area School District students overall who scored at or above grade level declined slightly from 2023-24, from 53% in English language arts and 54% in math to 51% in both scores in 2024-25.
Breaking it down further, here are the AASD exam results by proficiency level in mathematics:
AASD exam results by proficiency level in English language arts:
How do Appleton schools’ Forward Exam scores compare to other districts?
The 6,210 Appleton students who took the test outperformed peers in similarly sized districts.
How did other Fox Cities, Appleton-area districts do on the Forward Exam?
Overall, other school districts in the Fox Cities remained level or varied slightly with their test scores in 2024-25 from 2023-24. Here’s how individual districts did:
Rebecca Loroff is an education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin. She welcomes story tips and feedback. Contact her at rloroff@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton students didn’t do quite as well in the state’s standardized tests. Here’s how they scored
Reporting by Rebecca Loroff, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
