Minnesota Reading and Math Proficiency Stalls for Third Consecutive Year

Minnesota students are once again confronting a sobering reality: according to the Minnesota Department of Education, just 49.6% of students are reading at grade level and only 45.2% are proficient in math—figures that have remained virtually unchanged for the third consecutive year. In response, Senator Julia Coleman, Republican lead on the Education Policy Committee, issued a pointed statement saying that the Walz administration has continued to inject politics into schools, a distraction that she argues takes away from students’ needs and hampers progress. “It’s time we commit to putting students first, giving schools the resources to support their students without burdensome mandates, and focus on proven strategies to improve reading and math,” Coleman said. “Our children deserve to graduate with an education that prepares them for success in life and we simply aren’t doing enough.”

These disappointing scores reflect more than a local challenge—they mirror a nationwide struggle in reading and math achievement. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called “The Nation’s Report Card,” reported in 2024 that only 31% of fourth graders and 30% of eighth graders scored at the proficient level in reading. Both represent the lowest performances in decades, with eighth-grade reading at its weakest point since at least 1994. Even more concerning, about 40% of fourth graders and one-third of eighth graders scored below the “Basic” level, meaning they lack foundational skills. Broader studies confirm these gaps: as many as two-thirds of U.S. children are not reading proficiently, and around 40% are considered nonreaders, unable to grasp even the most basic literacy skills. That reality paints a picture of widespread difficulty across the country, not just in Minnesota.

The pandemic years worsened an already fragile situation. School closures and prolonged disruptions between 2020 and 2022 caused setbacks that erased years of incremental progress, with children missing crucial periods of early instruction. Experts note that while the nation has slowly been returning to in-person classrooms, the recovery in literacy has lagged behind, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Instructional debates have further complicated matters, with growing emphasis on phonics-based teaching—a method praised for helping students decode words—but critics argue that reading success also requires deeper comprehension and critical thinking.

Some states, however, have demonstrated that progress is possible with evidence-based reforms. Mississippi, often ranked near the bottom of education charts, has become an unexpected national leader in fourth-grade reading outcomes. By emphasizing systematic phonics instruction, intensive teacher training, and accountability measures, the state earned the nickname “the Mississippi Miracle.” While not without controversy, the results show that targeted, data-driven reforms can move the needle even in historically struggling areas.

For Minnesota, the stagnation of scores despite years of effort raises important questions about where resources are being directed and whether current policies are truly serving students. Coleman argues that too much time and energy have been devoted to politically charged mandates instead of classroom priorities, leaving teachers without the flexibility or tools they need to help students catch up. Her call is for a return to basics—supporting schools directly, focusing on literacy and math, and ensuring that children graduate prepared for real-world challenges.

While some education experts caution against framing the situation as a total collapse—pointing out that U.S. students still perform at levels comparable to peers in many developed nations—the persistent struggles in basic reading and math proficiency cannot be ignored. For the nearly half of Minnesota’s students failing to meet grade-level benchmarks, the stakes are high. Literacy is not just an academic requirement; it is tied to lifelong success, from workforce readiness to civic participation. Without urgent action, these gaps risk widening further, entrenching cycles of disadvantage.

The path forward will likely require a combination of renewed instructional focus, investments in early literacy, and an honest look at which programs produce real results. Minnesota’s flat test scores are not just numbers on a page—they are a warning sign that a generation of students may graduate without the essential skills needed to thrive. Senator Coleman’s call is part of a broader national conversation about how best to turn the tide, but the message is clear: without bold and practical reforms, too many children will continue to fall short of their potential.