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Wyoming student proficiency scores stable, slightly below pre-pandemic levels

Kids coloring their toolbox at the Wyoming Association Technical Education event (photo by Ash Brinker/ Cap City News)

CASPER, Wyo. — The results of state-administered assessments for Wyoming’s K–12 students are relatively stable compared to last year and remain below the pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels by about 1–2%, according to a release by the Wyoming Department of Education on Wednesday.

99% of the students take the Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress, an end-of-year test that measures how much students have learned during the school year, according to the WDE. No data was produced in spring 2020 during the onset of the pandemic.

“While I’m disappointed that our assessment scores have not yet caught up to pre-pandemic levels, I am proud that we have not lowered the proficiency bar like other states,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder in the release. “In Wyoming, we will unabashedly hold our standards high and push for excellence. These scores also demonstrate the need to innovate, to rethink our education system and how we instruct students. We must make change, and I am confident that our recently launched initiatives and pilot projects that so many districts have embraced, will absolutely do that.”

The release notes that Wyoming was the first state in the nation to have students return to classrooms during the pandemic and was only one of seven states to achieve 95% assessment participation in 2021.

“However, unlike many states, Wyoming has resisted the trend to change performance levels and has maintained the high rigor of previous assessments to properly gauge student learning,” the release said.

Wyoming Test of Proficiency and Progress results in recent years (WDE)

The approach allows educators and parents to have accurate data to show if students have recovered from the COVID lockdowns, the release said.

Compared to last year, student proficiency decreased by 0.2% in English Language Arts and by 0.3% in Science, but both have remained steady since 2021. Math proficiency increased by 0.5% and has been steadily increasing since 2021.

The WDE also provided links to complete assessment data and district-by-district snapshots by content area and grade. A Parents & Community Members Overview has also been created to outline the assessment process and additional current results.

Data for large districts, which includes Laramie County’s rankings, are provided below.


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