State Assessments
In the spring of 2025, Kansas students in grades 3–8 and 10 completed the required state
assessments in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, while grades 5, 8, and 11 also tested in
Science. These assessments were redesigned this year, replacing the previous version first
introduced in 2015.
Because of the updates, statewide results could not be finalized until fall, as educators met this
summer to establish new “cut scores”—the benchmarks that define performance levels and
determine how student achievement is categorized. The Kansas State Board of Education also
had to approve scores prior to being set.
The assessments, which are taken primarily online, include 40–50 questions per subject and are
typically completed in two 45-minute sessions. Test items are designed to measure a range of
knowledge and skills, offering a clearer picture of student learning. Results include both
individual scores and performance levels.
The redesigned test addressed concerns that the prior test was misaligned with student success
after high school. According to the Kansas State Board of Education, only about 25% of Kansas
students previously scored at the top two levels, despite more than half going on to succeed in
college or careers. The earlier cut scores also failed to align with national measures such as the
ACT.
Locally, students performed well compared to state averages.
ELA: Eighth- and 10th-grade students scored 15 and 8 points higher, respectively, than
the state average. All but two grade levels improved over last year’s results.
Math: Grades 6, 8, and 10 scored above the state average, with fifth grade showing
growth compared to the previous class.
Science: Eighth grade outperformed the state average by 20 points. Fifth grade saw a
slight decline. Although all juniors participated in science testing, the assessment did not
show enough variation to be considered valid, so no 11th-grade results were reported.
50% of last year's 10th, 7th, and 5th graders scored in the top two levels for at least one
of their tested subjects. 58% of our 6th graders had at least one score of 3 or 4, while a
whopping 61% of our 8th graders met this achievement.
Individual student score reports will be distributed during Parent-Teacher Conferences on
October 20. Families are encouraged to attend, review results, and discuss progress with
teachers.
The district congratulates all students who earned performance levels 3 or 4 on the state
assessments, with special recognition to SammiJo Wiegers and Garrett Zimbelman, who each
achieved a perfect score of 700 on the Math test.
