Good evening, Salem.

A handful more kids in Salem schools are on track with reading and math compared to 2024.

The Oregon Department of Education today released new test scores based on standardized tests students took last spring. They show there’s a lot of work to do: two in three Salem kids tested were behind the level expected for their grade in reading and writing. But it’s the first time in three years the numbers improved. District leaders said that shows efforts to improve teaching kids to read are starting to work.

Managing Editor Rachel Alexander has been covering these numbers for years. Her story below explains what the latest numbers show across the district. We’re planning several follow up stories drilling into some specific schools and looking more at how student demographics influence these numbers.

In June, we produced this story that goes more in-depth about what local schools and district leaders are doing to turn around reading.

Whether you’re a student, parent, educator or taxpayer, we’d like to know what you want to know. Are you interested in what the tests expect kids to know? Do you want to see how each school in the district performed?

Let us know: email Rachel at [email protected] and help guide our coverage.

Here’s some of today’s news. Head to our website anytime for the latest Salem news.

www.salemreporter.com

“A lot of work” to go, but more Salem kids on track with reading, math

Salem-Keizer schools posted a small gain in the number of students reading at grade level in 2025, but three in four third-graders remain behind.

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Ethics investigator finds Mayor Julie Hoy, 5 councilors engaged in illegal serial meeting 

An investigator with the Oregon Government Ethics Commission concluded Monday that Salem Mayor Julie Hoy and Councilors Paul Tigan, Linda Nishioka, Deanna Gwyn, Vanessa Nordyke and Micki Varney broke state…

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Oregon transportation department behind on winter hiring because of funding delay

About 200 state transportation workers resigned over the summer, about half because they received layoff notices.

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What’s showing at Salem galleries, museums in October

This month, Salem’s galleries and museums will share poetry and landscapes featuring local scenery, free lectures on art history and vibrant portraits.

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