National Assessments Reveal Mixed Results, Concerns Mount Over French Performance & Growing Inequalities – L’Express
National assessments show generally stable results across primary and middle school levels, though a concerning trend of declining French proficiency is prompting calls for increased attention. The data also highlights persistent and significant gaps between students based on gender and socioeconomic background.
Results in primary school are generally stable over the past year, with one key exception: a decline in french performance, which officials say “calls for reinforced vigilance.” In CE2, assessments remain generally stable in French and are stable or increasing in mathematics. CM1 students demonstrated stationary results in French alongside progress in maths, while CM2 students showed stable performance with advances in grammar and numbering.
However, significant gender disparities persist throughout elementary school. Girls consistently outperform boys in French from CP to CM2, while boys demonstrate greater mastery of mathematics starting in CE1. “This means that we need to work collectively on this,” stated Mr. Geffray.
Aurélie Gagnier, general secretary of FSU-snuipp, the primary school union, criticized current educational policies, stating they have failed to reduce the gaps between students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those from advantaged backgrounds, nor to reduce gender gaps.
Moving to middle school, 6th-grade results have shown continuous advancement as assessments were introduced in 2017, notably thanks to a reduction in poor performance, according to the Ministry of Education. Improvements were also noted in tests de fluence measuring reading pace.
Though, results decline in 5th grade, where new evaluations reveal strong disparities. In French, only 52.1% of students demonstrate satisfactory mastery, a figure that drops to 34.6% in REP (priority education network) schools and a concerning 24.9% in REP+ schools. Similar gaps are present in mathematics.
4th-grade performance is stable in maths but shows a worrying decline in French, with a decrease in the proportion of high-achieving students and an increase among those struggling.
The trend continues in second grade, with moderate progress in mathematics contrasted by a drop in French. The Ministry reports that 20.1% of general and technological secondary school students now fall into groups with low levels of French, compared to 12.4% in 2021.
These results are being interpreted as evidence of policy failures. Dominique Bruneau, federal secretary of CFDT Education, described the findings as the reflection of the failure of a policy pursued by the ministry for eight years. Sophie Vénétitay, general secretary of Snes-FSU (colleges and high schools), emphasized the need to address these challenges, stating the data confirm difficulties in making all students succeed and highlighting urgency to relaunch priority education.
