Iowa students have rebounded to pre-COVID levels across multiple subjects, including math, reading and writing, and saw an improvement in rates of chronic absenteeism last year, Gov. Kim Reynolds said.
During a press conference at the Iowa State Capitol building on Wednesday, Reynolds highlighted spring assessment results from the Statewide Assessment of Student Progress for students in grades 3-11. She was joined by other education leaders, including Iowa Department of Education Director Mackenzie Snow and Davenport Superintendent T.J. Schneckloth.
Overall scores for the 2024-25 school year improved, with nearly 56% of schools performing in the top three of six rating categories used to measure student achievement. This is up 10 percentage points compared to last year.
“Over the past five years …. Iowa has begun charting a different path, and the outcomes are nothing short of remarkable,” Reynolds told reporters. “The most impactful thing that we can do for our state as we look at next steps and we look at what that future looks like, is to ensure that the next generation is prepared to thrive.”
Rates of chronic absenteeism, when a student misses about 10% of school days per year, decreased, Snow said, while rates of student completion of work-based learning grew.
“Overall, school performance is improving. Schools in need of support are improving. Early literacy is improving, science proficiency is improving, attendance is improving and work-based learning is growing,” Snow said.
Chronic absenteeism during the 2024-25 school year sat at 15.8%, which was down 5.8 percentage points from the prior school year. Forty-five percent of high school seniors completed work-based learning during the 2024-25 school year.
The assessment results also show an 11% increase in English language arts proficiency among students who were in third grade during the 2023-24 school year.
This improvement follows 2024 legislation, signed into law by Reynolds, requiring schools to use evidence-based reading instruction and provide personalized reading plans for students in kindergarten through sixth grade who struggle to read.
During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers passed similar legislation in hopes of bolstering the state’s math scores, which fell last year, from 7th to 30th in the nation in fourth grade and 15th to 23rd in the nation in eighth grade, to according to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Reynolds pointed to the improvements in student achievement as proof that President Donald Trump and U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s plan to send education funds to states in the form of block grants rather than through the department is well suited for Iowa’s K-12 schools.
Back in March, Reynolds touted Iowa for being the first state in the nation to submit a waiver to receive funding through this route, arguing that it will streamline the process. Multiple education groups have opposed this plan.
“I am so encouraged and optimistic about the Trump administration’s vision to return education to the states,” Reynolds said. “With today’s good news, we’re proving … that we are definitely on the right track, that we have put the infrastructure in place, that we really are ready and able to take that opportunity and continue strong partnership to move the state forward.”
Davenport sees drop in chronic absenteeism
Rates of chronic absenteeism have decreased in Davenport Community School District, Schneckloth said.
Schneckloth also added that since a law signed by Reynolds earlier this year banning cell phone use in school classrooms went into effect, he’s seen improvements in student focus during school hours.
He offered an example of the student representatives on the Davenport school board, who said the policy has improved their learning experience
“Unanimously, all the way around, every one of those juniors and seniors said, ‘I’m more focused in class, and I find, instead of going to my phone, I’ll start a conversation with the person next to me,’” Schneckloth said.
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