McKenzie Snow, Director of Iowa Department of Education | Iowa Department Of Education
The Iowa Department of Education has released the spring 2025 results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), showing improvements in English language arts (ELA) and science proficiency among students in grades 3-11. However, math proficiency, particularly at the high school level, continues to lag.
According to the department, state-level ISASP results for 2024-25 indicate gains in student performance compared to last year, with many grades and subjects surpassing pre-pandemic levels. ELA proficiency rates ranged from 68 to 80 percent, mathematics from 64 to 76 percent, and science from 64 to 70 percent.
“Iowa made literacy a priority in every classroom and for every student over the past year by implementing proven, evidence-based approaches that we know work,” said Governor Kim Reynolds. “By empowering Iowa teachers with critical training in the Science of Reading and through strong collaboration with students, families and school partners, ELA proficiency for last year’s third graders jumped an impressive 11 percentage points just one year later. Together we will continue this transformational work in literacy while also prioritizing math through the implementation of the Math Counts Act to ensure Iowa’s education system is helping every student achieve their potential.”
The improvement follows early literacy legislation enacted in 2024. Students who were third graders during the 2023-24 school year saw an increase of 11 percentage points in ELA proficiency as fourth graders this year. Increases or maintenance of ELA proficiency rates were observed across grades 3-5 and 8-10; notably, grades 3 and 8 saw rises of four and three percentage points respectively.
“Over the past two years, Iowa has advanced rigorous academic standards, high-quality instructional materials, early student identification, strong instructional interventions, professional learning, educator preparation, and family-centered resources–and our collective work has made a remarkable difference for students across Iowa,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Together, we celebrate the extraordinary gains of our young readers and the leadership of Iowa’s teachers and families in implementing these comprehensive, statewide investments in evidence-based instruction.”
Despite progress elsewhere, high school math proficiency remains lower than earlier grade levels by four to twelve percentage points. Ninth-grade students experienced a five-point drop since 2019. Compared to last year’s results, changes in math proficiency did not exceed one or two percentage points.
“The data show Iowa’s investment in evidence-based literacy instruction is working, and, last winter, we set out to mirror these transformational structures in math through the historic Math Counts Act,” said Snow. “Heartened by student progress and determined to meet student needs, Iowa will continue to reassert our commitment to evidence-based instruction that improves student achievement and narrows and closes achievement gaps.”
With passage of the Math Counts Act this year,Iowa is rolling out new supports for mathematics teaching. These include early identification for students not on track for proficiency; personalized plans; targeted interventions; professional development aligned with evidence-based practices; updated educator preparation programs; and more resources for families.
Science was included for the first time this year as part of Iowa's unified school accountability system. Proficiency rates increased across all tested grades: fifth grade up four points over last year (and twelve since 2019), eighth grade up five points (twelve since 2019), tenth grade up seven points.
“Instructional leadership and accountability matter, and we commend our students, educators, and families for the long-term progress and exceptional improvements made following the inclusion of science proficiency in our new accountability system last year,” said Snow.
Proficiency gaps between overall student groups have narrowed somewhat over time but remain significant—especially among students with disabilities or those learning English as a second language. For example: average differences across grade levels are forty-five (students with disabilities) or fifty-three (English learners) percentage points lower than their peers’ ELA scores; corresponding math gaps are forty-one (disabilities) or forty-five (English learners).
The ISASP serves as Iowa's general summative assessment under federal requirements, measuring how well students meet state academic standards each spring.
Full spring ISASP results—including district-level data—and additional information are available on the Department's PK-12 Education Statistics webpage.
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