Key Updates on Missouri Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Legislation Would Reform Missouri School Accountability to Focus on Student Growth and Achievement, While Providing Parents More Transparency into How Schools are Performing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Missouri State Senator Curtis Trent (R-Springfield) has pre-filed the Quality Education Act, Senate Bill 804. State Representative Mike Haffner (R-Pleasant Hill) will file a companion bill in the coming days. The legislation would reform Missouri’s school performance assessment to primarily measure student growth and achievement, while providing parents more transparency into how individual schools are succeeding in providing a quality education. Missouri student academic outcomes are now below the national average and have been declining steadily since 2009, with significant gaps based on a student’s race and family income.

Only 3 in 10 Missouri students can read proficiently by the 4th grade, yet 99% of Missouri school districts are “Fully Accredited” under the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) accountability system.

“In a world where information is increasingly at our fingertips, Missouri makes it very difficult for parents to determine if their local schools are providing a quality education,” said Sen. Curtis Trent. “The frustrating part is that it’s within DESE’s power right now to give parents and taxpayers more clear, accessible information on how well schools are educating students and they have so far failed to do so. By passing the Quality Education Act, we can bring much needed transparency to our public schools, while prioritizing student growth and achievement, instead of rewarding schools for filling out paperwork.”

Read the full release here.

DESE Releases Annual Performance Reports

On Monday, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released the 2022-23 Annual Performance Report (APR) for each school district and charter school. APR is DESE’s formula for calculating school quality as part of the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP), which is our state’s public school accountability system since 1991. The new reports show us several things:

APR scores declined for 70% of school districts and charter schools from the previous year.
The current system lacks clarity and transparency. Parents, and even many educators, struggle to understand the calculations and the steps that are needed to improve.
APR gives too much weight to paperwork and compliance and not enough weight to the academic growth of our children:
30% of the APR score is based on compulsory paperwork and regulatory mandates. School leaders should have more autonomy to create the learning environment that is best for their community.
Only 24% of the APR score is based on year-to-year student growth, even though this is the truest measure of school quality. We need to increase this weight to 50% and hold schools accountable for outstanding academic outcomes.

In DESE’s press release, Commissioner Margie Vandeven states, “We are standing at a time where we can reimagine education while getting some of the basics like reading and math right.” We agree! There are many changes happening in Missouri’s public education ecosystem, and the opportunity is ours to ensure that those changes serve our children well, today and for generations to come.

State Board Announces New Missouri Commissioner of Department to Elementary and Secondary Education

Congratulations to Senator Karla Eslinger, who was announced this month as the next Commissioner of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Senator Eslinger has committed her career to public education as a teacher, principal, superintendent and administrator with the U.S. Department of Education and DESE. QSC has enjoyed working with Senator Eslinger and we are excited for the leadership she will bring to this new role.

Read the full release here.

Download our 2024 Missouri Parent Resource Guide!

Quality Schools Coalition needs your support as we cast a new vision for what is possible. We are building a coalition of education partners, community advocates, and policymakers to achieve that vision. Whether it’s messaging your local legislator or joining Quality Schools Coalition at the Missouri State Capitol, no action is too small when expanding educational opportunities for all students in Missouri.

Explore this guide to learn more about our work, sign up for our newsletter, and find upcoming events near you. Don’t forget to follow us on social media!