New Mexico students in grades three to eight have seen a 10 percentage point jump in reading proficiency since 2022, the state Public Education Department announced Tuesday, citing new data from the last school year.

Preliminary results from spring exams in reading and math show 44% of students in the group demonstrated proficiency, according to the agency — a five-point rise from the year before, when 39% achieved scores in the range of proficiency. The department has not yet released a detailed statewide report on the test scores and has not released data from specific districts.

The boost would buck a trend of sluggish and stagnant annual test results. Education officials noted some of the strongest gains in reading were among groups considered disadvantaged in classrooms, including N

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