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Missouri Senate panel discusses changes to how school districts are accredited

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. — A group of Missouri lawmakers are focused on increasing transparency and accountability in schools. A Senate interim committee met Monday to discuss the Missouri School Improvement Plan (MSIP). 

Previously, the system was only based on assessment test scores, but the pandemic impacted how the program worked. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Commissioner Margie Vandeven spoke to the committee about the changes. 

“The scoring guide has shifted from 100% just on test scores and outputs to thinking about 70% of it being on that and then 30% on continuous improvement,” said Vandeven. “We have students who really did thrive throughout the pandemic, minimal disruption to their classroom experience and really did very, very well. We have other students who probably didn’t return to a classroom.”

The full article can be read at ozarksfirst.com.

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