More Than 91 Percent of Missouri Public Schools Meet or Exceed Statewide Standards

Jefferson City, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has released the statewide Annual Performance Reports (APRs) for the 2024-25 school year. Missouri public schools have shown meaningful gains in the APR scores. APRs demonstrate the progress educators, students, parents, and the community are making toward meeting the standards and indicators in the sixth iteration of the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP 6).

“The more rigorous expectations of MSIP 6 are making a difference,” Commissioner of Education Dr. Karla Eslinger said. “These results reflect the support of Missouri public schools from our business and industry leaders, and our strong families and communities. I am proud of our school leaders and educators. Thank you for your hard work and dedication.”

Key highlights for the 2024-25 school year APR data include:

• More than 92 percent of Missouri public school students attend schools that meet or exceed state expectations.
• APR scores from more than 310 public schools improved in 2025 when compared to 2024.
• Missouri’s attendance rate, graduation rate, and Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores continue to improve.
• English Language Arts MAP scores showed slight improvements for most grade levels.
• Mathematics MAP scores showed improvements overall, apart from grades 4 and 5.

“Although the trendline shows slow and steady progress, there is still work to do,” Commissioner Eslinger said. “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.”

MSIP is the state’s system for reviewing public school performance and classifying school districts. It outlines expectations for school practices and student outcomes, with the goal of each student graduating ready for success in college, career, and life. DESE considers multiple years of performance data prior to making classification recommendations. The APR will not be used to lower classification designations for school districts this year.

Step-by-step instructions on accessing the 2025 APR data are available to help users navigate the different viewing options for the report. Additional resources can be found on DESE’s MSIP 6 webpage.