ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The majority of Alaska students scored below grade level proficiency in statewide math, science and language arts assessments taken last spring — even after the state lowered the standard for what is considered proficient.

The latest results of the Alaska System of Academic Readiness, known as AK STAR, were released Wednesday by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.

The scores showed slight improvements in student achievement from the previous year, though an administrator cautioned that the latest results did not allow for an apples-to-apples comparison to the earlier results because the proficiency metrics had been lowered.

The spring 2023 results released Wednesday "are not comparable to the 2022 results," DEED assessment administrator Elizabeth Greninger wrote in an email. "This is due to the changes to the achievement levels (cut scores) for English language arts and mathematics assessments, as adopted by the State Board in January 2024."

Both the Alaska Science Assessment and AK STAR were distributed to most Alaska public students, from elementary to high school. The AK STAR assessment was new last year.

Here's how students performed:

— 68% of Alaska students tested were not proficient in English language arts.

— 68% of students tested were not proficient in math.

— 63% of students tested were not proficient in science.

— 73% of third-graders were not proficient in English language arts, and 73% of ninth-graders were not proficient in math.

...continued

©2024 Anchorage Daily News. Visit at adn.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.