New data from Latvia’s Ministry of Education and Science reveals a concerning trend in student performance. Assessments administered this spring show a significant drop in mathematics and science knowledge between the third and sixth grades. Conversely, reading comprehension skills demonstrate improvement during the same period. The findings, released on June 16th, indicate a potential issue with the progression of STEM education within the Latvian school system. Latvian Radio first reported the results of the standardized knowledge assessments. The Ministry has not yet released detailed analysis regarding the reasons for the decline, but the data prompts questions about curriculum effectiveness and teaching methods in these subjects. Further investigation is expected to determine how to address this performance gap.