New York state’s preliminary 2025 results for the annual standardized exams show that just 48 percent of students in grades three through eight met the benchmark for reading proficiency. Math scores, by contrast, displayed a modest rise, indicating a slight improvement in that subject area.
The figures come from the statewide assessment released this year, which evaluates performance in reading and mathematics for elementary and middle‑school students. The data, reported by education news outlet Chalkbeat, represent the first glimpse of how students performed on the 2025 test cycle.
The reading result marks a decline in proficiency levels compared with prior years, according to the released numbers. While the exact cause of the drop was not detailed in the preliminary report, the trend signals a reversal of earlier gains in literacy achievement across the state’s public schools.
Math outcomes, however, showed an uptick, suggesting that instructional efforts in that domain may be yielding incremental progress. State officials typically use these annual results to guide policy decisions, allocate resources, and shape curriculum priorities for the coming school year. The full set of results, including district‑level breakdowns, is expected to be published later in the month.