A majority of California students are failing to meet the state’s proficiency standards in reading and mathematics, according to statewide assessment results released Thursday, October 15, showing only modest improvement during the 2025–2026 school year.

The California Department of Education reported that just 49.3% of students scored proficient or advanced in English language arts, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from the previous year. Mathematics results were weaker, with only 38.4% reaching those levels, despite a 1.1-percentage-point improvement.

The results mean that more than half of California students did not meet the state’s proficiency benchmark in English, while more than six in 10 fell short of that standard in mathematics. Although scores improved in both subjects, the gains remained limited, particularly in math.

Science scores also showed room for improvement. Only 36% of students scored proficient or advanced in the subject, even as that figure increased by 3.3 percentage points over the previous year.

The results come as California continues to grapple with the academic setbacks associated with pandemic-era school closures. Statewide scores have improved gradually in recent years, but achievement remains below pre-pandemic levels in key subjects, according to recent analyses of California’s test results.

California officials pointed to the improvements as evidence of progress, citing investments in literacy instruction, mathematics support, tutoring and other educational programs. State Board of Education President Linda Darling-Hammond acknowledged that more work remains, saying the state must ensure that gains reach students across communities.

The state also reported improvements in broader educational measures. California’s graduation rate reached 87.9%, its highest level in a decade, while chronic absenteeism declined to 18.3%. However, graduation rates and standardized test proficiency measure different aspects of student performance, and the graduation figure does not erase the continuing gaps in reading and mathematics.

The latest scores highlight the challenge facing California’s education system: despite billions of dollars in school funding and several years of gradual recovery, most students still have not reached the state’s proficiency benchmark in mathematics, and a majority remain below that threshold in English language arts.