Missouri Releases New Annual 2024 Performance Report:

Charter Schools Continue to Demonstrate Strong Student Improvement

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MODESE) recently released the 2024 Annual Performance Reports (APR), Missouri’s measure for calculating how schools serve students and families. The APR is a percentage and snapshot that is based on (1) the performance report – if students are on grade level and if they are improving – and (2) what the state calls “continuous improvement,” which includes a range of metrics, such as if a district submitted data and the annual audit on time and if they completed a strategic plan.

“The most important thing in this report is the data that showcases: are students learning, are they improving, and how are they serving all kids? We are excited to share that once again, this data demonstrates charter schools are serving students and families well, though much work is still to be done to ensure that every child is on grade level and has the tools to reach their potential,” said Noah Devine, Executive Director of Missouri Charter Public School Association.

The performance report, the academic portion of the APR, demonstrates charter schools are leading the way for student growth. In English Language Arts (ELA/reading), charter schools earned, on average, 80% of possible points for all students, compared to 63% for the state, including an incredible 85% for students who are Black, Latino, Limited English Proficient, Special Education, or Low-Income, compared to 62% for the state. In mathematics, charter schools earned 72% of points for student growth and 78% of all possible points for students who are Black, Latino, Limited English Proficient, Special Education, or Low-income, compared to 61% for the state.

“It has never been more clear that Missouri charter schools are closing the gap, seeing students improve at a rate materially faster than the average, “ said Devine

This performance report and data, along with the recent findings from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) and the SLU PRiME Study, show that charter school students are experiencing tremendous academic growth and are an essential part of Missouri’s overall public school landscape. According to the PPI study, which examined if cities across the country with a high percentage of charter schools are closing achievement gaps and seeing improved outcomes, Missouri is home to two of the top three cities for highest gap closure and improvement – St. Louis and Kansas City. According to the SLU PRiME growth report and study, which examines student improvement across all Missouri schools – traditional district and charter – charter schools account for half (three of six categories) of the top schools in growth despite only representing 4% of all public school buildings.

Source: Note: This chart displays the percentage of points earned for student growth in the APR, for all subjects, by charter schools and all Missouri schools (2024).