Kirkwood School District’s Declining MAP and EOC Test Scores
The Kirkwood School District Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and End of Course (EOC) test results declined from 2015 to 2021. During that same period, the Kirkwood School District spent over $5 million in “Professional Development” and “Improvements of Instruction.” Some of that professional development was focused on nonacademic and political issues rather than on improving academic performance.
MAP and EOC scores are benchmarks and independent indicators of academic performance. MAP and EOC tests are Missouri state administered and required tests are conducted yearly in Missouri’s K-12 public schools. They were not administered in 2020 due to COVID. Information in the graphs below is the most recent available to the public and obtained directly from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in excel file format. Information in the chart highlights the academic decline between 2015 and 2021.
MAP Scores for English and Math are broken down by Content Areas for grades 3-8. MAP Scores assess Science in grades 5 and 8. End of Course exams are captured for High School Level courses such as Biology 1 (represented as B1), Algebra (A1& A2), and English (E1 & E2). The graph below highlights academic declines in almost every Content Area and Grade level.
The test scores are represented in four levels. However, combining the top two categories and the bottom two categories provides increased clarity and allows presentation of information as either Grade Level Proficient or Not Grade level Proficient. Students not Grade Level Proficient are not academically performing at the minimum state requirements for that Content Area for their grade level.
Over the same period African American student test scores have also declined with much lower proficiency levels. Despite District messages that they are focused on addressing the educational gap between African American students and the rest of the school population, test results show steep declines. To view the data, choose the Content Area in the drop down box. This shows the percentage of African American students that are grade level proficient or above in the Content Areas.
Is This What is Best for Our Community’s Students?
MAP and EOC Test Score Decline Coincides with the Introduction of Costly, Controversial, and Ineffective Improvements of Instruction and Professional Development
Publicly available records show that the Kirkwood School District has spent millions of dollars on so called, “Improvement of Instruction” and “Professional Development” from 2015 to 2021. However, the MAP and EOC test scores have shown academic grade level proficiency declines in almost every Content Area for every Grade Level over this same period.
The chart (below) lists the Budget year, Budget Function Code, Budget Description, and Actual Costs for “Improvement of Instruction” and Professional Development.” Professional Development is the term used for School District sponsored and conducted training.
Kirkwood School District Instruction Costs from 2015 to 2021
What are these Professional Development and Improvement of Instruction Dollars Funding?
The evidence of the Kirkwood School District’s critical turn in education over this period are plentiful. Concerned Kirkwood School District employees have provided numerous examples of these trainings that do not focus on academic performance. A sample of them include: A sample of them include:
Professional Development from Sharroky Hollie on Rings of Culture
The data from the state of Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education clearly shows that Kirkwood students’ academic performance is in decline. Taxpayers can help bring about reform in response to this decline by Supporting Politicians and School Board Candidates that will prioritize success for all students.