Mixed Marks: Performance on state ELA tests drops, math results increase
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Local district data for state third through eighth grade testing won't be available until November, but statewide data released recently shows mixed marks.
State Education Department officials recently released preliminary data from the 2026 third through eighth grade English language arts and mathematics assessments and the fifth and eighth grade science tests. While school districts have received the data, they are reviewing it. Once the data is certified local district results will be posted on the state Education Department website.
The percentage of students scoring proficient by grade in each subject is shown below. Overall, the 2025-26 state assessment data show that proficiency rates of students in Grades 3-8 on the ELA and Math assessments are 48% and 57%, respectively; the proficiency rate of students in both Grades 5 and 8 on the Science exam is 47%.
"These preliminary results show a significant decline in statewide English Language Arts performance for some grade levels compared with the prior year," said JP O'Hare, department spokesperson. "The department takes this decline seriously and will conduct a detailed analysis to better understand where students are experiencing challenges, which student groups and communities have been most affected, and where additional support and resources are needed."
Following the verification period where schools check the accuracy of their data, NYSED will update assessment reports based on the data certified by schools and districts. Our goal is to provide teachers, administrators, and parents with as much information as possible about their students' performance and make it available as quickly as possible to improve classroom instruction. The public release of all final state assessment data is anticipated for early November.
"We will not minimize or attempt to explain away what the data tell us. When scores increase, we report that progress. When they decline, we report that as well. Our responsibility is not to create a narrative around the results, but to understand them, identify where students need additional support, and act accordingly," O'Hare said. "For years, the Department has faced competing accusations that state assessments are intentionally made easier or harder to produce a preferred outcome. These results demonstrate that the data is just that, data. We report them transparently, whether they reflect progress or setbacks, and we use them to improve teaching and learning."
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
Trends for English language arts generally show gains that gains achieved in 2024-25 were given back in 2025-26. The ELA scores can be compared across each administration since 2023, when the assessment was updated to measure student achievement of the New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards.
Third grade: proficiency increased from 43% in in 2023-24 to 54% in 2024-25 before decreasing back to 43% in 2025-26
Fourth grade: proficiency was 47% in 2023-24, increased to 54% in 2024-25 and decreased to 48% in 2025-26
Fifth grade: in 2023-24 44% of students were proficient in ELA, increasing to 57% in 2024-25 and decreasing to 43% in 2025-26
Sixth grade: there wasn’t as much of a fall off for sixth-graders, which saw proficiency increase from 44% in 2023-24 to 51% in 2024-25 and then decrease slightly to 50% in 2025-26
Seventh grade: proficiency increased 1% from 50% in 2023-24 to 51% in 2024-25, with no change for 2025-26 seventh-graders
Eighth grade: Proficiency rates edged up 1% to 53% in 2025-26 after being at 52% in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Overall, proficiency for all students was 46% in 2023-24, increased to 53% in 2024-25 and decreased to 48% in 2025-26.
MATHEMATICS
Math results generally showed trends of increasing proficiency over the last three years. The third- through eighth grade math scale scores can be compared across each administration since 2023, when the assessment was updated to measure student achievement of the New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards.
Third grade: proficiency was 54% for third graders in 2023-24 and rose to 60% in 2024-25 and 2025-26
Fourth grade: proficiency was 58% in 2023-23, went up slightly to 59% in 2024-25 and rose again to 62% in 2025-26
Fifth grade: proficiency was 49% in 2023-24, rose to 54% in 2024-25 and then edged up again in 2025-26 to 55%
Sixth grade: Proficiency was 51% in 2024-23 and again in 2024-25, with a 2% bump in 2025-26 to 53%
Seventh grade: Proficiency started at 57% in 2023-24, decreased slightly to 56% in 2024-25 and increased to 60% in 2025-26
Eighth grade: The 41% proficiency for eighth graders in 2023-24 was the lowest of any grade level in the ELA or math tests, with proficiency increasing to 47% in 2024-25 and remaining at 47% in 2025-26.
Overall, for all students in third through eighth grades, math proficiency has increased from 52% in 2023-24 to 55% in 2024-25 and 57% in 2025-26.
SCIENCE TESTING
Fifth and eighth grade science scale scores can be compared across each administration since 2024, the first year
the assessments measured student achievement of the New York State P-12 Science Learning Standards.
Proficiency has increased steadily over the past three years on fifth- and eighth-grade science testing. In fifth grade, proficiency increased from 35% in 2023-24 to 45% in 2024-25 and then to 46% in 2025-26 while eighth graders saw proficiency increase from 34% in 2023-24 to 44% in 2024-25 and 49% in 2025-26.
For all students, proficiency on the fifth and eighth grade testing results increased from 35% in 2023-24 to 44% in 2024-25 and 47% in 2025-26.