More than 60 percent of Florida students now perform on or above grade level in both English and math
Tallahassee, Florida – Florida has reached a new milestone in student achievement, with more than 60 percent of students now performing on or above grade level in both English language arts and mathematics for the first time in state history.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced the latest academic results, calling them another sign that Florida’s education reforms continue to produce measurable gains for students across the state.
According to the newly released data, student performance has steadily improved since Florida introduced its statewide progress monitoring system in 2023. The assessment model replaced the traditional end-of-year testing system with multiple progress checks throughout the school year, allowing teachers and parents to identify learning gaps earlier and provide additional support before the final assessment.
“Florida did not become the Education State by accident. We got here by setting high expectations, empowering parents, supporting teachers, and refusing to settle for the status quo,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “For the first time ever, more than 60 percent of Florida students are now performing on or above grade level in both English language arts and mathematics. This success demonstrates that our education reforms, like progress monitoring, are delivering real results for our students.”
Student performance continues to improve
The statewide results showed that 61 percent of students in grades 3 through 10 scored on or above grade level in English language arts on the end-of-year Progress Monitoring 3 assessment. That represents a four-point increase from 2025 and a 12-point improvement since the progress monitoring system was introduced in 2023.
Mathematics also showed continued growth. Sixty-two percent of students in grades 3 through 8 met or exceeded grade-level expectations, improving three percentage points over last year and nine percentage points compared with 2023.
Officials also highlighted the improvement made throughout the school year. In English language arts, the percentage of students performing on or above grade level increased from 39 percent at the beginning of the school year to 61 percent by the final assessment.
Mathematics showed even greater movement, rising from 16 percent at the beginning of the year to 62 percent on the end-of-year assessment.
Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas praised students, parents, and educators for the continued progress.
“I am very proud of the progress monitoring results this year. These tremendous gains are a testament to the hard work of Florida’s students, the unwavering support of parents, and the high-quality instruction delivered by teachers across the state,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “Galatians 6:7 reminds us that, ‘…for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap.’ This year’s accomplishments are evidence of the seeds we have sown through a commitment to student achievement. As we celebrate these record breaking results, we must build on this momentum to achieve even greater success for Florida’s students in the years ahead.”
Growth across multiple subjects
State leaders said the improvements extended beyond English and mathematics.
More than 150,000 additional students in grades 3 through 10 are now performing on or above grade level in English language arts compared with 2023. Officials noted that this increase is roughly equal to the population of the City of Hollywood, Florida.
In mathematics, nearly 115,000 additional students are now meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations since progress monitoring began. State officials compared that increase to the population of Clearwater.
Performance gains were also reported among several student groups. Students from economically disadvantaged families, African American students, Hispanic students, English language learners, and students with disabilities all recorded higher scores compared with the previous year in both English language arts and mathematics.
The statewide assessment results also showed continued improvement in high school mathematics. Sixty-one percent of students scored on or above grade level in Algebra 1, while 55 percent reached that benchmark in Geometry. Both subjects improved compared with 2025 and showed even larger gains since 2023.
Science performance also reached record levels. Sixty percent of fifth-grade students scored on or above grade level, while 57 percent of eighth-grade students met the benchmark. Biology 1 produced the strongest results, with 74 percent of students performing on or above grade level.
Social studies also reached its highest levels since statewide testing in those subjects began. Civics recorded 76 percent of students performing on or above grade level, while U.S. History reached 73 percent.
According to state officials, the progress monitoring system continues to give teachers and families real-time information throughout the school year, allowing instruction to be adjusted before students fall too far behind. State leaders say the continued academic gains demonstrate the long-term impact of that approach as Florida continues to report record achievement across multiple grade levels and subject areas.
