Proposal to Roll Back Changes to Wisconsin Test Score Standards Gets First Hearing

Monday, February 10th, 2025 -- 10:00 AM

(Corrinne Hess, Wisconsin Public Radio) A proposal to roll back recent changes to Wisconsin’s test score standards got its first hearing in the state Legislature Thursday.

According to Corrinne Hess with the Wisconsin Public Radio, the Department of Public Instruction’s overhaul of how student achievement on state tests is measured has gotten political blowback from both sides of the aisle.

Under the Republican proposal, DPI would have to use the same benchmark scores, score ranges and corresponding qualitative descriptions that were used on school report cards published in the 2019-20 school year.

In a rare form of solidarity with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, Republican Sen. John Jagler, R-Watertown, began his presentation on the proposal reading a quote from the governor.

“I think we need to have as high standards as possible. I don’t think we should be lowering them,” Jagler said. “That’s not my quote. That’s a quote from Gov. Evers, and I think the sentiment we all can agree on: It was a mistake.”

Evers told reporters in early January there were not enough conversations before the change. This year, assessment benchmark scores were updated by DPI for the Forward Exam, which is given to students in grades three through eight, and the PreACT Secure and ACT tests.

The terms “below basic,” “basic,” “proficient” and “advanced,” which had been used since 2014, have been replaced with “developing,” “approaching,” “meeting” and “advanced” to describe the skill level on the Forward Exam.

The new standards for the Wisconsin Forward Exam don’t align with the scores with the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, test. The change also makes it difficult to compare this year’s Forward Exam scores with previous years.

“The changes made by DPI last year broke the connection to previous years to allow us to see how our kids are performing over time,” said Jagler, who co-authored the bill.

“As we move out of COVID, it is more important than ever that we’re able to see how our educational system is advancing or not advancing.” Jason Stein, who heads the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum, testified that the change by DPI made it difficult to compare this year’s school district data with past year’s numbers.

The Policy Forum uses Forward Exam data to compare school districts over time and to each other. Stein said having consistent data is important for parents and taxpayers.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.