ISTEP+ results released, show slight decline from last year's scores

Statewide scores for language arts dropped to a 66.1 percent passing rate, down from last year’s 67.3 percent. Likewise, only 58.9 percent passed mathematics and 51.6 percent passed both sections, as opposed to the respective 61 percent and 53.5 percent passing rates of last year.

The department stated in a news release that 64.9 percent of fourth and sixth grade students passed the science section, while 64.2 percent of fifth and seventh grade students passed the social studies section. In the 10th grade, 59 percent of students passed the English and Language Arts section, 34.6 percent passed the mathematics section and 32.2 percent passed both sections of the test. Additionally, 58.8 percent of students in grade 10 passed the science section of the assessment.