NYC Reading Test Scores Fluctuate Dramatically, Prompting Expert Scrutiny
New York City has experienced significant and unexplained swings in elementary reading test scores, with a dramatic surge last year followed by a sharp decline this year. Preliminary results indicate that half of New York City students were proficient in reading this year, a 6 percentage point drop from the previous year. The share of third, fourth, and fifth graders meeting grade-level standards has reverted to levels similar to 2024 in both New York City and across the state. For instance, third graders' proficiency fell by 14 percentage points after a 13-point rise the year prior. These fluctuations have led testing experts, or psychometricians, to question the validity of the tests themselves, with some suggesting a potential issue with last year's assessment. While the state's testing vendor, NWEA, asserts confidence in the accuracy of the results, a nonprofit advocacy group, EdTrust-New York, has called for an independent audit. 
