In a recent release by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), stats reveal that over 91 percent of the state's public schools are hitting the mark, satisfying or surpassing the lofty benchmarks set by the current educational standards of MSIP 6. Laying out the gains, the annual performance reports for the 2024-25 school year showcase what seems to be a collective push from educators, students, and the community towards academic refinement and excellence. A report detailing the findings was published yesterday, November 6.
Breaking it down, more than 92 percent of Missouri's public school students are enrolled in schools that are meeting or outpacing the state expectations. Now, considering the improvements, it's worth noting the attendance rate, graduation rate, and scores from the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) are all on an upswing. But, not all grades are created equal - whilst English Language Arts MAP scores have seen modest gains, it's the mathematics scores where grades 4 and 5 remain the outliers, not showing the same level of improvement as other grades.
Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger, quoted in the released statements, expressed a cautious optimism, "Although the trendline shows slow and steady progress, there is still work to do," said Eslinger. She continued recognizing the persistent efforts, "We know that ambition is the path to success, but success is only achieved through persistence. We remain diligent in working with our school systems until every child reaches their potential," as mentioned on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website.
DESE's approach to school performance and district classification, MSIP, is a system that not only reviews but expects school districts to succeed in preparing each student for life beyond the classroom. Despite the progress, the APR will hold off on using data to demote any school districts this year. For those looking to delve into the specifics of the APR data, DESE has provided a user-friendly path to sifting through the numbers. Interested parties can find a guide on how to access the 2025 APR data right on their website.
