Missouri School Test Scores Demonstrate Improvement and Ongoing Challenges across the State

Missouri students are demonstrating improvement on state-administered standardized tests, with results in certain areas approaching or surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

However, students are still facing challenges in some subjects, particularly in English language arts.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education presented initial scores from the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) to the State Board of Education during its recent board meeting via livestream.

Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, a board member from Pasadena Hills, expressed disappointment that there was not more significant growth and progress.

To combat low literacy levels, DESE is implementing programs nationwide, focusing on evidence-based interventions and enhanced teacher preparation.

Westbrooks-Hodge compared the intervention’s impact to triage care, stating that it has “stopped the bleed,” but scores remain consistent.

“We have made substantial investments over the past two years, and I anticipate seeing the positive outcomes as our scores begin to rise,” she remarked. “All these interventions are proving effective in stabilizing our educational system, enabling us to cultivate further growth.”

Data disclosed on Tuesday indicates that English language arts scores are still below pre-pandemic levels, with 56% of students falling in the “basic” or “below basic” proficiency range. This percentage has remained unchanged since 2022.

Lisa Sireno, assistant commissioner of quality schools, stressed the need for “continuous, sustained focused implementation with fidelity at the local level, up to five years, before witnessing substantial progress on a broader scale.”

She highlighted the impact of teacher shortages on test scores, particularly during the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.

Overall, there has been an improvement in scores across all subjects and grade levels since the 2021 assessments. In 2021, 24% of scores were in the “below basic” category, which has decreased to 22% this year but remains higher than the 19% observed in the last pre-pandemic assessments in 2019. The number of scores in proficient and advanced ranges is slightly lower than in the 2019 evaluations.

Mathematics scores have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with a one-percent increase in the advanced category compared to 2019 for grades 3-8. Sireno pointed out that middle school math scores have exceeded pre-pandemic standards.

Sireno anticipates further analysis, especially as educators delve into local-level data.