Kayla Huynh

The new benchmarks are lower than the NAEP-aligned scores, which Underly has said are “an extremely high standard to meet, beyond grade-level knowledge.” McCarthy said educators requested the change and 100 teachers consulted with the department about the new system as part of a routine effort to update standards. 

“That’s the right approach,” McCarthy said. “NAEP is a national benchmarking tool, not a state accountability measure. It does not measure Wisconsin academic standards, which are used by teachers to deliver instruction.”

But state Republican leaders remain unconvinced. Some have criticized the move as a deliberate effort to inflate students’ test scores. Under the new system, over half of grade school students in the state scored proficient or higher in math and English last school year. 

The new system has also complicated efforts by state policymakers, school district leaders and parents to measure success over time. The scores are now calculated so differently that the Department of Public Instruction cautions against comparing to years before the change.