Tougher Reading, Math Standards Mean Far Fewer Advanced Scores in Tosa

Use Patch's interactive database to see the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations scores in Wauwatosa and other area districts for the last three years.

Students in the Wauwatosa School District saw overall lower scores in statewide math and reading tests this year, but those changes are almost entirely due to tough new standards that kicked in this year.

In Wauwatosa, 51.6 percent of the students who took the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations (WKCE) in November 2012 scored at proficient or advanced in reading. That's compared to 88.1 percent who hit that mark in 2011. The 2012-13 results were released last week.

In math, 66 percent of Wauwatosa students were proficient or better this year, compared to 86.7 percent last year.

While this year's numbers are lower than last year, they're still significantly higher than the statewide figure of 36.2 percent proficient or better in reading and 48.1 percent in math.

With the new standards, many more Wauwatosa students to the proficient level or below. In reading, those percentages rose from 33 percent to 42.5 percent proficient, and in math, from 30 to 39.6 percent proficient.

The precipitous dropoff was at the advanced level, the highest level of achievement. In reading, advanced-level scores fell from 58.1 percent to just 12 percent between 2011 and 2012 under the new standards. In math, the dropoff was less steep but a still significant 53.7 percent to 23.5.

Drops in reading and math scores took place throughout the state this year as Wisconsin raised the benchmark scores needed for students to reach basic, proficient or advanced performance levels. The new college and career readiness proficiency levels are based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

More than 430,000 public school students took the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations in November 2012.