Stanford Study Shows Westonka Outperforming State and National Averages
Stanford Study Shows Westonka Outperforming State and National Averages
New data released this month by the Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University show Westonka Public Schools continuing to outperform state and national averages in both math and reading achievement.
According to the report, Westonka ranked higher than 98% of school districts nationwide in average math performance during the 2022-25 school years. The district also ranked higher than 93% of districts nationwide in average reading performance during the same period.
Researchers linked state test results with the results of a federal exam, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, to allow for comparisons across states. The report found that Westonka students scored an average of 2.25 grade levels above the U.S. average overall, with student achievement increasing at a rate of +0.11 grade levels per year since 2022. The data also showed Westonka students learn 10.6% more each grade level than the national average.
In math, Westonka demonstrated steady long-term performance. As illustrated in an analysis by the New York Times, the district improved from 2.8 grade levels ahead in math in 2015 to 2.9 grade levels ahead in 2025. By comparison, Minnesota’s statewide average math performance - based on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments and NAEP - declined from 1.0 grade level ahead in 2015 to 0.1 grade level ahead in 2025.
Reading scores remained similarly strong. Westonka scored 2.0 grade levels ahead in reading in 2025 (down from 2.1 grade levels ahead in 2015), placing it at the top of Minnesota districts.
Westonka Public Schools 2015-2025 reading test scores comparison from the The New York Times “Look Up Your School District’s Test Scores”
The Educational Opportunity Project study also compared districts with similar socioeconomic characteristics, demographics and enrollment sizes. Westonka’s average scores from 2022-25 were 1.62 grade levels ahead of comparable districts.
“One of Westonka’s ‘small school advantages’ is the ability to truly know our students as individuals,” said Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Mark Femrite. “Our teachers and staff work hard to identify each student’s strengths and learning gaps early so we can provide the support and challenge they need to grow. We’re proud of the strong performance our students have demonstrated over the past decade, but we also know there is always room to improve, and we remain committed to continuous growth.”
Explore the data
The Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford analyzes academic growth and opportunity trends across thousands of school districts in the United States using state assessment data. Explore the data on The Educational Opportunity Trends Project website.