MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Minnesota Students Remain Below 50 Percent Proficiency in Reading and Math as State Releases 2026 Test Results

ST. PAUL, MN (October 1, 2026). New statewide assessment results show fewer than half of Minnesota students meeting state standards in reading and mathematics, while the redesigned reading test establishes a new baseline for measuring achievement.

Fewer than half of Minnesota students are meeting state standards in reading and mathematics, according to newly released 2026 statewide assessment results that show academic performance remaining largely stagnant despite years of efforts to accelerate learning.

The Minnesota Department of Education released the results Wednesday, describing statewide math and science performance as generally stable. The reading results require additional caution because students took a redesigned Reading MCA-IV for the first time this spring.

The new reading assessment is aligned with Minnesota's revised 2020 English language arts standards and places greater emphasis on comprehension, analysis and higher-order thinking. Because the test changed, the Department of Education says the 2026 reading scores establish a new baseline and should not be directly compared with previous Reading MCA-III results.

Math and science provide a clearer picture of longer-term performance. Statewide results showed little movement, continuing concerns over Minnesota's difficulty returning student achievement to pre-pandemic levels.

The results arrive days after Minnesota launched a broader examination of its standardized testing system as policymakers, educators and families debate how effectively the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments measure student learning.

MDE cautions that statewide assessments represent only one measure of academic performance and recommends evaluating the results alongside classroom work, teacher assessments and other measures of student progress.

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