The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has released the statewide Annual Performance Reports (APRs) for the 2021-22 school year.

APRs demonstrate the progress schools are making toward meeting the Standards and Indicators in the sixth version of the Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP-6). MSIP is the state’s system for reviewing, accrediting and classifying schools. It outlines expectations for school practices and student outcomes, with the goal of each student graduating ready for success in college, career and life.

The data for Maplewood Richmond Heights Schools will be presented to the Board of Education when it meets in regular session on March 16.

Key changes in MSIP-6 include:

• Differentiating the performance of schools along a continuum

• Providing accessible and actionable information about schools

• Empowering local boards of education to improve and innovate by adding a Continuous Improvement component

• Emphasizing the importance of academic performance by holding public schools equally accountable for status and growth

• Focusing on the preparation and well-being of each student at all levels

DESE issued several key considerations for reviewing the 2022 APR:

• It cannot be compared to previous APRs.

• It contains data from the 2021-22 school year only.

• It reflects the ongoing impact of the pandemic, including its disproportionate impact on some groups of students.

• It separates scoring for achievement status and growth and emphasizes them equally.

• It is the pilot report for MSIP-6 and cannot be used to lower district classification or to evaluate teachers.

• It is one among many data points for stakeholders.

Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven said, “For the release of this pilot year data, we encourage stakeholders, including community partners and families, to focus less on the APR score and more on the underlying data to learn how they may better support student learning.”

Because MSIP-6 is a new system with different scoring, it is inaccurate to compare a school’s 2022 APR score to previous years. The accreditation and classification of schools under MSIP-6 will begin in the 2023-24 school year.

Step-by-step instructions are available on the MSIP-6 webpage to help users navigate the different report viewing options.

How can families talk to their children about assessment data? NWEA offers help for students, caregivers and families with putting assessment into context with practical guiding questions and conversation starters. 

• Ideas for talking about an assessment’s purpose or format

• Easy-to-implement strategies for setting and discussing goals

• Tips for helping families and caregivers support their learner