Missouri students did well on last spring's math and English language arts Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests, state officials said Tuesday.
"This was the first time that students in all tested grades or courses were assessed on the new Missouri Learning Standards in English language arts and math," Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven said after a state Board of Education meeting. "These new standards raised the expectations for learning in Missouri.
"Since these are brand new tests that set a new baseline for student performance, we cannot compare the results with MAP tests of the past."
State officials did provide results from the spring 2014 Smarter Balance field tests, which were part of the implementation of the Common Core standards adopted by Missouri and other states.
This is the only year Missouri will be using Common Core standards. The state Elementary and Secondary Education department is developing new, state-specific standards for next year.
Between 55 percent and 59.1 percent of students in grades 3-8 scored at the proficient or advanced levels on the MAP English language arts test, while the range on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium multi-state field tests a year ago was from 38 percent to 44 percent.
"Results were higher on the MAP test in nearly every category than results from the multi-state field test," Vandeven said.
"We are especially encouraged by what we're seeing in English - many of Missouri's students are demonstrating proficiency in reading, context, writing, and listening effectively and planning research."
Missouri math scores for those same grades ranged from 35.3 percent to 52 percent, while the comparable Smarter Balanced scores in 2014 ranged from 32 percent to 39 percent.
"Because of the highly sequential nature of math, MAP results may reflect the power of consistent instruction on the updated Missouri Learning Standards," Vandeven explained. "Students in the lower grades - who have been using the standards throughout their school years - show higher levels of proficiency than students in upper grades, who experienced changes during their school careers."
Sharon Helwig, DESE's assistant commissioner for the Office of College and Career Readiness, told the state board the testing last spring represented "two firsts for our kids in Missouri - new standards for English language arts and math, and all online administration for grades 3-8."
However, the Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA) questioned that second "first," noting in a news release that testing entirely online created challenges for students used to pencil-and-paper tests with a "potential for an inherent bias with online assessments that needs to be considered when evaluating how a school or student performed."
Helwig told the state board, "Most importantly, our students demonstrated they're definitely ready for the 21st century."
MASA said school leaders believe the 2015 MAP test results highlight a need for policymakers at the state and federal level to re-evaluate an overemphasis on mandatory standardized testing.
"If the state wants accurate data in order to compare one district to another, or one state to another state, schools are going to need some consistency from policymakers at the top," Mike Lodewegen, MASA's associate executive director, said in the release.
"With so many changes coming at us, our best bet is to continue focusing on our community and looking beyond what the state or federal government has in store for us."
The MAP tests are required by state and federal laws, DESE spokeswoman Sarah Potter said.