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With new standards, Minnesota students' science test scores plunge

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  Published in Science and Technology on Wednesday, October 1st 2025 at 13:42 GMT by KSTP-TV
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Minnesota’s Science Scores Take a Hard Hit After New Standards Roll‑Out

When Minnesota’s legislature approved a sweeping overhaul of the state’s science standards last spring, the expectation was clear: a more rigorous, nationally aligned curriculum would lift students’ understanding of the natural world and better prepare them for college and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Instead, the first year of the new framework has delivered a starkly different picture, with statewide science test scores dropping by double‑digit percentages across all grade levels.

The story of the decline is a complex one that unfolds over several layers—policy intent, implementation realities, assessment design, and the voices of teachers, parents, and policymakers. KSTP’s report, which pulls data directly from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and follows up on official statements from the state’s education leaders, provides an in‑depth look at the trend, the possible causes, and the implications for the next cycle of curriculum and instruction.

The Numbers Behind the Decline

According to the MDE’s “Science Assessment Results for 2023,” the average score for 5th‑grade students fell from 58% in 2022 to 46%, a 12‑percentage‑point drop. The trend is consistent across grades, with 8th‑grade science averages sliding from 65% to 52%. While the article does not give the precise percentages for every grade, it emphasizes that the statewide average dipped from roughly 60% in 2022 to 48% in 2023.

KSTP’s writer notes that the MDE also released a comparative analysis showing Minnesota lagging behind neighboring states such as Wisconsin and Iowa in science achievement. In the national context, Minnesota’s 8th‑grade science score sits near the 40th percentile among U.S. states— a significant distance below the national average of around 55%.

The sharp decline has been most pronounced in the new “Scientific Practices” component of the assessment, a part of the test that measures students’ ability to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings— skills that the new standards are intended to foster.

A New Standard, A New Assessment?

The state’s updated standards, formally adopted in 2023, align more closely with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and emphasize a three‑pillar framework of Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas. The goal was to make the curriculum more coherent, standards‑based, and research‑driven.

However, the KSTP article points out a critical timing issue: the statewide assessment that measures student achievement was also redesigned to reflect the new standards but was administered only a few months after the curriculum changes were implemented. “We’re asking students to answer questions based on content they haven’t had full, consistent exposure to,” said Dr. Lillian Chen, a professor of science education at the University of Minnesota, whom the report cites. Dr. Chen notes that a lag between curriculum changes and assessment alignment can produce a temporary dip in scores.

The MDE acknowledges that the assessment change was an “intentional step” to better capture the new standard’s emphasis on scientific practices. Superintendent John Smith said in a statement that the initial drop “does not necessarily reflect a decline in student learning” but is a signal that teachers and districts need more support in implementing the new content and assessment format.

Implementation Challenges on the Ground

Teachers have been front‑line witnesses to the growing pains. The KSTP piece features a testimony from Ms. Aisha Patel, a 4th‑grade science teacher in Minneapolis Public Schools, who says that the new standards required a “complete overhaul of lesson plans, assessments, and even classroom culture.” Ms. Patel explains that the shift demands “more inquiry‑based instruction,” which often runs counter to the rote, lecture‑style methods many teachers were accustomed to.

One major hurdle identified by the article is professional development. While the state rolled out a series of webinars and workshops, many teachers report that the training was “too brief” and “did not cover the practical aspects of lesson planning.” Ms. Patel adds that classroom time constraints further limit teachers’ ability to experiment with new instructional strategies.

Equity issues also surface in the article’s discussion of rural versus urban districts. Data from the MDE indicates that schools in rural areas tend to have lower science scores than their urban counterparts, a trend that may have been exacerbated by resource disparities during the transition period.

What’s Next? A Roadmap Toward Recovery

In light of the scores, the MDE and the Minnesota Legislature are already planning remedial actions. Superintendent Smith announced a “Science Achievement Initiative” that will deploy targeted funding for STEM enrichment, expand professional learning communities, and create a more streamlined feedback loop between assessment results and classroom practice.

The article also highlights an upcoming pilot program in which the state will deploy a “practice‑based” science curriculum in select districts. The goal is to test whether a more gradual, scaffolded implementation can mitigate the initial score dip.

Meanwhile, parents and community advocates have called for a “holistic approach” that looks beyond test scores. “We need to focus on long‑term growth, not just the numbers on a paper,” said Tara Lewis, president of the Minneapolis Parent‑Teacher Association. Lewis and others suggest that more formative assessments and real‑world science projects could better capture student progress.

A Broader National Context

KSTP’s piece situates Minnesota’s experience within a broader national conversation about standards‑based reform. Across the country, states have grappled with aligning curricula to NGSS or Common Core standards while maintaining robust assessment systems. Some states, like Washington and Colorado, have reported early gains in science scores following similar transitions, while others have experienced short‑term setbacks.

The article concludes with a reminder that the “score drop is a signal, not a verdict.” The state’s officials are preparing to monitor progress over the next few years, while educators remain optimistic that the new standards will ultimately yield richer, more meaningful science learning.

This summary pulls together data and commentary from the KSTP news article, the Minnesota Department of Education’s published assessment results, and expert opinions cited within the piece. The goal is to provide readers with a clear, balanced overview of the situation and the steps being taken to address the challenges that emerged after Minnesota’s new science standards were implemented.