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Feb. 3, 2025 |  By: Chrystal Blair - Public News Service

MO student test scores remain steady but concerns remain

testing

By Chrystal Blair - Public News Service

Missouri students are keeping pace with their peers nationwide, according to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress but there are some concerns.

Among Missouri fourth graders, 75% scored at or above the basic level in math, with eighth graders following closely at 59%. In reading, 58% to 59% of fourth graders and 65% to 66% of eighth graders scored at or above the basic level.

Jeremy Ellis, assessment coordinator for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said the annual report card provides a snapshot of the education system's overall health. He pointed out a decline happened before and after the pandemic, due to many factors.

"Issues stemming from COVID, attendance, teacher morale, teacher retention," Ellis outlined. "I don't think it would be just one thing that we're looking at, or one cause of the stagnation in scores over the past few cycles."

Ellis noted although both the Missouri's Assessment Program and the national assessment use similar scoring scales, the national "proficient" level does not align with Missouri's grade-level standards, which are set by state educators.

Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education, identified what she believes is a major factor significantly affecting students' academic performance, explaining why many are not achieving at the level they could or should.

"Some improvement but not enough," Carr contended. "This wouldn't be so worrisome if we hadn't found a consistent and strong correlation between absenteeism and student performance. You have to come to school to learn."

The National Assessment of Educational Progress tests fourth and eighth graders nationwide in math and reading every two years.