It’s a seemingly simple question: “Are my kids learning?” Most parents appear to think so.
A 2024 survey of about 400 parents and guardians in Wisconsin found 40% believed their child was above grade level in math; 45% believed the same for reading. A similar 2023 survey from Gallup found roughly 9 in 10 parents rated their students as at or above grade level.
This optimism makes sense. A different 2023 study of grade inflation found roughly 40% of students earned As in math, English, or science classes. Any parent who sees their child getting straight As can be forgiven for thinking they’re doing well and are on track for success in college and career.
The trouble is record-high grades and parent confidence sit alongside record-low test scores. The median fourth- and eighth-grade reader in 2024 scored lower than those in 1992. Things aren’t quite as bad in math, but NWEA data show students are still well behind pre-COVID levels. (See the tab titled “Trends over time” on our MAP Growth National Dashboard for more on that data.)
What explains this disconnect? How can most students earn As and Bs while test scores in many places hit all-time lows? The answer is that grades and tests measure different things, each with its own limitations and caveats. Even as test developers, education researchers, and former teachers, we sometimes struggle to make sense of it. In this article, we draw on our experience to share how we make sense of what our students are learning in school.
What we do differently as parents and assessment experts
Our professional backgrounds give us a distinct advantage when looking at education data as contradictory as what we’ve noted above. We focus on a few different ideas when trying to make sense of things.
We pay attention when the story doesn’t match
The most useful signal is often inconsistency: high grades paired with low test scores, or the reverse. Those gaps tell us there’s more to understand about instruction, expectations, design of the assessments, or even how our child is experiencing school. For example, does an “A” mean my child can divide fractions? Does a test score of the 76th percentile mean she can draw inferences from informational texts? Nobody, including us, has any idea. That’s because most grades and standardized tests don’t provide that level of detail.
When things don’t line up, that’s when we ask more questions and reach out to the school for more information.
We treat grades as clues, not conclusions
Grades can reflect many things beyond actual learning: effort, behavior, extra credit, and even a teacher’s particular priorities. That means the same letter grade can represent very different things depending on the teacher and what they include or look for when assigning a grade.
When we see a grade on a report card, our first question isn’t “Is this good or bad?” but “What does this actually reflect?” Sometimes a teacher shares this in advance, but other times we have to reach out and ask. Even if we determine a final course grade is derived from activities that measure actual student learning, we try to understand if grades are based on skill mastery and whether growth and improvement count.
In the end, grades are only as useful as the data points that went into them. Parents and guardians shouldn’t assume grades indicate content or skill mastery unless they’ve checked that this is what earning a high grade required.
We look for evidence about specific skills
The best places to see whether students are learning the skills they’re being taught are homework and parent-teacher conferences. If we see our student struggling every day with their homework but getting straight As, that’s a sign something is off. Likewise, if they can finish their homework in five minutes but they’re still getting Cs in the class, that’s a sign something besides content mastery is being included in grades.
The challenge is that grades and school communication often summarize performance at too high a level to show actual skill proficiency. Without that detail, it’s hard to know what a student can really do. That’s why conversations with teachers—and with students themselves—are so important.
We look at test scores for patterns, not moments
A single test score is just a snapshot. Any child can have an off day. What’s more useful is understanding how scores change over time and whether they tell a consistent story.
We use test results to look for trends, not to label performance based on one moment. Think of it like going to a well-child visit. When the pediatrician shows you how your child is growing, they do so by looking at trends. A student who has always been smaller for her age is fine. One that is trending downward might signify a point of concern.
When our children take MAP® Growth™ three times per year, we don’t get worked up by one lower score, especially because we follow our own advice and look across multiple data points. But we do get concerned if we see a downward trend.
We go straight to the source: Our kids
The clearest window into learning is often a simple conversation. We ask our kids to explain what they’re working on in school, how they’re solving problems, and whether the work feels too easy, too hard, or repetitive. Their answers help us see beyond report cards and test scores to what they actually understand and experience day to day.
As test developers and education researchers, we know not all assessments are created equal and that it can be challenging to distill the complexity of learning into a single test event. When our kids are discouraged after a test, we ask them to explain to us in their own words what they’re working on, what engages them, what frustrates them, and what they’re still wondering. Even asking them how they would have designed the test questions themselves can provide a fascinating peek into what they think is most important or most challenging about the topics.
What most parents can do
The good news is you don’t need to be an assessment expert to get a clearer picture of your child’s learning. Small shifts in how you interpret and follow up on information can go a long way.
Ask one more question
When your child mentions a test, assignment, or grade, go a step further: “What was hardest?” “What are you working on now?” “Can you show me one problem?” These quick check-ins often reveal more than the score itself.
Notice how the work feels
Pay attention to whether schoolwork seems too easy, consistently frustrating, or repetitive for your child. You’ll often learn more from how your child experiences their work than from the final result. The last thing we want is for our children to be frustrated with school or with learning. Work that is too easy or too hard can give kids a negative attitude toward a topic or content area.
Follow up when something doesn’t add up
If your child’s school experience doesn’t match what you’re seeing in grades or test scores, it’s worth a closer look. A quick, low-stakes check-in with a teacher can provide helpful context. You might say, “I’m trying to understand how things are going” or “I’m worried about how much my child seems to stress out about homework.”
However you start the conversation, remember every teacher is your partner, a collaborator in helping prepare your child for the world. Don’t be afraid to talk to them if you feel it would help.
In closing
We all want to help our kids become engaged citizens of the world. We want them to hear something from their friends or read something online and know how to question it, unravel it, and investigate it further.
We can see whether that’s happening if we step away from grades and scores and watch our kids engage with the real world and try to make sense of it. Are they asking good questions and finding effective ways to answer them? And are they getting better over time? Ultimately, that’s what matters most.
