Following today’s Senate Education Committee hearing on student test scores and the Annual Performance Reports (APR), Chair Rick Brattin emphasized the need for clearer communication and stronger accountability from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
“Parents want to know how their children and their schools are really doing” Brattin said. “When the state says almost every school is meeting expectations, but many students are struggling with basic reading and math, those messages do not line up. Families deserve information they can trust.”
Key Concerns Raised in the Hearing
Committee members expressed concern that the public messaging about school performance does not reflect the challenges students are facing in the classroom. Among the issues discussed: Many Missouri students are struggling with reading and math at grade level. A large number of districts have significant numbers of students who are not reaching basic proficiency. Despite these challenges, the vast majority of districts still receive high APR scores.
Brattin noted, “It is hard for parents to understand how schools can be called successful when so many children are clearly not getting the skills they need. If the bar is set too low, our kids are the ones who pay the price.”
Major Questions for DESE
During the hearing, senators sought clarity on several issues:
- How should parents interpret the claim that ninety two percent of schools are meeting expectations?
- Why have no districts seen a change in accreditation status despite years of low performance?
- Should schools with very low achievement remain fully accredited?
Brattin said, “Accountability only matters if it leads to improvement. If nothing changes, then it is just a label, not a tool to help students.”
Next Steps
The Committee called on DESE to take the following actions:
- Provide clearer explanations to families about statewide test results
- Review accreditation status for districts with long term low performance • Pause expansion of the Success Ready Network until there is evidence of progress • Deliver a detailed plan in early 2026 on how the department will improve literacy and support struggling districts
- Begin exploring alternatives to the current MAP assessment to ensure Missouri is using a test that truly reflects what students know and provides a more reliable measuring stick for school performance
Looking Forward
“This situation requires urgency” Brattin said. “Missouri has enormous potential, and our students deserve schools that help them reach it. We cannot afford another year of mixed messages and unclear expectations. We owe our kids clarity and action.” The Committee will reconvene in early 2026 to review DESE’s progress.
