What can be read into the reading test?

The Minnesota Department of Education is out with another standardized testing press release today that claims success, in this case, on 9th grade reading tests.

Nearly 90 Percent of Minnesota 9th -Graders Pass Graduation Writing Test, headlines the release. Many news organizations picked up on the theme. And it’s true, of course, most students did well. But not all and in many schools, not even the majority.

Springfield Public Schools, is at one of the spectrum. All of the students passed the test. On the other side, however, is Arlington Senior High in St. Paul, where only 49% of the 9th graders passed the test.

By gender, 93% of female students passed the test; 85.9% of male students passed.

Here’s the downloadable spreadsheet from the Department of Education if you’d like to play with the data.