Texas students’ STAAR scores decline in math and science

The latest results in the two key subjects are a setback after two years of modest progress toward recovering from the pandemic.

State testing data released Friday shows students’ math and science scores slipped as they continue to struggle to catch up after the pandemic.

Texas elementary students who took the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam this spring saw striking drops in their understanding of science. Only 26% of fifth graders met science grade-level standards this year, a steep decline of 21 percentage points from 2019.

In math, Texas students lost ground after two years of modest post-pandemic gains. About 41% of students demonstrated an adequate understanding of math on their tests, with declines across grades compared to last year.