Third-Grade Reading Scores Are Up in Salem-Keizer Public Schools

For the first time since the pandemic, Salem-Keizer third-grade students posted reading proficiency gains.

Salem-Keizer third-graders reversed a multi-year pattern of proficiency loss, resetting the trajectory toward progress and growth. This positive trend includes an increase in the number of students who are proficient readers and a decrease in the number of students who are significantly below grade level.

The Oregon Department of Education recently released results from the Oregon Statewide Assessment System’s spring 2025 summative assessments, showing overall gains in SKPS in English language arts, math and science. The district’s third-grade proficiency rate climbed 1.1 percentage points from 24.2% to 25.3%. Of Salem-Keizer’s 42 elementary schools, 25 showed improvements in third-grade ELA proficiency rates, with one school achieving a gain of more than 20 percentage points.

Salem-Keizer’s gains in literacy extend to middle school, where all three grades posted significant improvement.

Last year, we maintained a sharp focus on reading at every grade level. Our focus is starting to pay off, we bent the curve from one of steady decline to one of promising progress.
Salem-Keizer Superintendent Andrea Castañeda.

“All the credit goes to our staff who worked tirelessly to build student reading skills. And while we are pleased with this early progress, we aren’t satisfied. We have an aggressive plan to continue leveling up literacy throughout Salem-Keizer.”

Investing In Curriculum And Training Moves The Mark

Middle school proficiency increased at every grade level in every subject area. These promising results follow the implementation of new English language arts curricula in SKPS middle schools.

“Salem-Keizer students and staff deserve the best curriculum available, and we are working toward that in all of our core subjects across grade levels,” said Danielle Neves, deputy superintendent over secondary instruction. “Next year, we will introduce a new literacy curriculum in all elementary schools as well and look forward to the growth we will see through a successful implementation.”

Improving third-grade literacy is one of the academic goals adopted by the Salem-Keizer School Board of Directors. In that effort, SKPS previously announced a major investment in staff time and learning to engage in a multi-day training around foundational literacy in January.

“This training for 2,500 of our elementary educators (teachers, instructional assistants, principals, etc.) is a display of the dedication and continued focus of our team laying the groundwork necessary to improve student outcomes,” said Neves.

English Language Arts

Schools With Significant Gains In ELA

• Walker and Waldo middle schools improved overall by 15.8 and 12.6 percentage points, respectively, for 6th-grade ELA.
• Clear Lake Elementary School's third-grade ELA proficiency improved by 20.2 percentage points over the previous year.
• Liberty Elementary School's third-grade ELA proficiency improved by 17.6 percentage points over the previous year.
• Candalaria, Clear Lake and Scott elementary schools improved overall by 10.1, 9.2 and 9.3 percentage points, respectively.
• Highland, Liberty and Miller elementary schools all saw gains in third-grade ELA by more than 15 percentage points.

Mathematics

Twenty-three elementary schools had overall growth in math scores compared to the previous year. Nine middle schools had overall growth in math scores compared to the previous year. Four middle schools outperformed the state average in eighth-grade math.

Schools With Significant Gains In Math

• Clear Lake Elementary School is up 6.5 points, representing a growth of nearly 15 points over two years.
• Miller Elementary School is up 8.8 percentage points compared to the previous year.
• Straub Middle School improved overall by 5.9 percentage points.

District Leaders Call On The Community For Support

First, they reiterated the importance of attendance, urging students to be in school every day, on time. Families can learn more about the benefits of regular attendance and find resources on the district’s Attendance Matters campaign page.

Second, they encouraged parents and caregivers to build a habit of reading to their children.

And third, they encouraged families to regularly check in about their child’s progress, asking questions like “How is my child doing in learning to read, write, listen and speak?”

“I am so proud to be part of Salem-Keizer Public Schools. Making progress with our young readers is a milestone moment for us, and we celebrate the growth across our system,” said Castañeda. “We know there is more to do and we will stay focused on our strategic plan to keep this hard, yet rewarding work moving.”

You can learn more about Salem-Keizer’s plan to improve student outcomes by reviewing the district’s two-year strategic plan.