Here & Now

Wisconsin’s Achievement Gap Persists

Frederica Freyberg:

Now for an update on the achievement gap between white and black students in Wisconsin. This week the National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the nation’s report card, released results finding Wisconsin has the widest achievement gap in the country. Scores show the gap between black and white students increasing in both math and reading. Of the students who took the test last spring, white 4th graders scored an average of 227 in reading, whereas black 4th graders scored 188, widening the score gap by seven points since 2017. In math, white 4th graders scored 249, while black students scored an average of 212, increasing the gap by one point. The Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction said the results indicate “crisis” and that closing the gap is imperative for the state.