Northeast News
August 19, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its results for the 2015 Missouri Assessment Program [MAP] testing and Kansas City Public Schools officials are optimistic.

In a press release announcing the results, KCPS students improved by five percent over last year’s results in English language arts. The number of students who are proficient or advanced in English is at 32 percent. However, MAP assessments in math dipped five percent from last year, with about 22 percent of KCPS students considered proficient or advanced in the subject. In the release, KCPS officials say they will take steps to improve math results by using the same types of classroom tools and techniques that helped nurture the growth students had in English language arts.

The release also claims this year’s scores can’t be compared to previous years because the testing was different, with content based on the new Common Core academic standards. KCPS must gather results from the same set of exams for more than one year before they can draw any concrete conclusions about academic progress. This year’s MAP results provide a baseline from which to start that process.

In the release, Interim Superintendent Allan Tunis pledged to continue the progress KCPS made under previous Superintendent R. Stephen Green by making sure teachers have a thorough understanding of their curriculum, ensuring educators are trained and equipped to teach those lessons effectively, and keeping every classroom up-to-speed and on schedule. Tunis’ academic leadership team is developing a detailed improvement plan, which will be shared with every parent and guardian when available.

“Our team of educators is adaptable and will move swiftly to put in place the best classroom tools and techniques,” Tunis said. “We will maintain our laser-like focus on helping every individual student increase his or her academic achievement.”

Jon Hile, Chair of the KCPS Board of Directors, is also optimistic about the district’s future.

“We are encouraged by the progress made in some key areas of assessment,” Hile said in the release. “These gains are evidence that the work put in by our staff, students, and families is having an impact. We are also mindful that some of these results indicate a need to improve in other important subjects. We are encouraged, mindful of the hard work ahead, and we will continue to work hard to improve.”