FRANKFORT — Students in Kentucky achieved mixed results in statewide testing, with math scores improving among older students but across-the-board struggles in science raising concerns, the state reported Thursday.

The percentage of middle and high school students considered proficient or distinguished in math rose but did not change in elementary schools, according to the report for the 2023-2024 academic year.

More high school students tested proficient or distinguished in reading, while the number of elementary and middle school students reaching those top levels remained unchanged.

Students from grades 3 through 8, 10 and 11 were tested in the spring. Each student received a score of novice, apprentice, proficient or distinguished (the highest) on several core subjects.

Summing up the results, state Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher said: “There are several areas to be proud of, some areas of concern and some areas where we as a commonwealth have plateaued.”

One troubling result across all grade levels was in science, as fewer students from elementary to high school tested at proficient or distinguished levels, the state Education Department said. Just 6% of high schoolers were proficient or distinguished in science, with the rest scoring at novice or apprentice levels.

Fletcher singled out the science scores as a concern and said it signals a need for action.

“We need to see improvement in our sciences across all grade levels,” he said. “We need to take a deep dive into our science assessment, our instruction and our student performance, with a goal of developing actual steps to improve science education and performance with our Kentucky students.”

The annual assessment and accountability scores for Kentucky’s public education system are monitored closely by parents, educators, local school boards and the state’s political leaders.

In releasing the report, state education officials also pointed to continued struggles with student absenteeism rates and the need to hire more classroom teachers to overcome shortages.

In an effort to tackle chronic absenteeism, the state education department has launched a campaign featuring TV and radio ads, along with billboards, to raise awareness. The department offers support to schools, families and communities to help curtail absenteeism.

“We believe one of the issues that can greatly impact students is if we can reduce that absenteeism number,” Fletcher said during a media briefing this week.

Teacher shortages result in larger class sizes, which can lead to less individualized attention for students, the commissioner said. The department is planning a similar public messaging campaign aimed at enticing more students to go into teaching, he said.

The test scores released Thursday track the performance of students and schools on core subjects.

The latest data showed that 47% of elementary school pupils statewide scored proficient or distinguished on their reading tests, unchanged from a year ago. The number of middle school students reaching those levels remained the same at 45%. Among high school students, 45% achieved those levels, a slight improvement from a year ago.

In math, 42% of elementary school pupils were at proficient or distinguished levels, unchanged from a year ago. In middle schools, 39% attained those levels, up from 37% a year ago. At high schools, 35% reached those levels, up from 33% last year.

In science, 34% of elementary school pupils were at proficient or distinguished levels, down from 35% a year ago. That number dropped dramatically in the upper grades, however. In middle schools, 22% reached those top two levels in science, down from 23% last year. At high schools, just 6% were ranked as proficient or distinguished, compared with 10% a year ago.