Members of the Education Interim Committee discussed the proposed legislation Wednesday, noting the change was requested by several district administrators across the state.
The move comes as the latest statewide assessment results for the 2023-24 school year showed ninth and 10th graders are falling behind in several subjects, with proficiency levels declining further than the initial drop seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For instance, in math, the percentage of ninth and 10th graders deemed proficient fell from 33.3% in 2021 to 31.5% last year.
In the same period, English language arts proficiency in these grades slipped from 46.8% in 2021 to 42.2% last year.
Currently, each spring, Utah students take one of two statewide assessments depending on their grade level.
Students in grades 3-8 take the RISE (Readiness Improvement Success Empowerment) test, which assesses proficiency in English language arts, math and science. However, third graders are not tested in science.
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This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.