President Charlie Shields | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
President Charlie Shields | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Missouri's performance on the 2024 national math and reading assessments has remained consistent, as indicated by data released by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The state's scores in grades 4 and 8 were statistically aligned with the national average across all four assessments.
"Accelerating learning post-pandemic takes time, and we are proud of our Missouri students and educators for their continued focus on that important work," said Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger. "We must use this information, alongside state and local metrics, to continue our statewide efforts to support improved instructional practices and student achievement in both reading and math."
The NAEP conducts these assessments every two years for grade 4 and grade 8 students nationwide. The previous assessment was conducted in 2022. Missouri's latest data comes from a sample size of about 1,800 students per test category.
Both the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and NAEP assess students using a below basic/basic/proficient/advanced scale. However, it is noted that NAEP's proficient level does not necessarily equate to grade-level proficiency as defined by MAP. Missouri develops its own assessments through local educators' input and sets specific standards for proficiency in grades 4 and 8 for reading and math.
The results show that in Grade 4 Math, 75% of Missouri students scored at or above basic compared to the national average of 76%. For Grade 8 Math, both Missouri and the national public schools had 59% scoring at or above basic. In Grade 4 Reading, Missouri saw a score of 58%, slightly below the national average of 59%. Meanwhile, Grade 8 Reading showed that 65% scored at or above basic compared to the national figure of 66%.
Missouri's comparison with other states reveals varied standings:
- In Grade 4 Math, Missouri outperformed five states but lagged behind seventeen.
- For Grade 8 Math, it surpassed eight states but fell short against twenty-three.
- In Grade 4 Reading, it scored higher than five states but lower than thirteen.
- In Grade 8 Reading, six states trailed behind while seventeen exceeded Missouri’s scores.
Further details can be found on the NAEP website.
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