TL;DR
Turn the school run and nap time into listening time
- Thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and originals
- Listen on your phone, tablet or Echo — also offline
- Cancel anytime
An analysis by The 74 identified dozens of Missouri public schools where disadvantaged student groups — low-income children, English learners and students with disabilities — beat statewide reading averages. The findings come as the state continues implementing reading reforms after fourth-grade NAEP scores fell more than 10 points since 2013.
A new data analysis has identified 83 Missouri public schools where economically disadvantaged students scored better on the state’s 2025 third-grade reading test than the statewide average for all students, offering potential lessons for a state whose reading results remain well below where they stood a decade ago. The report, part of The 74’s Bright Spots series, also flagged individual schools where English learners and students with disabilities dramatically outperformed state proficiency rates.
The analysis, published by The 74 Million, examined schools with at least 20 low-income test-takers and found 83 where those students beat the statewide average. In 2025, just under 42% of Missouri students scored proficient or higher on the third-grade reading test; among low-income students, the figure was under 30%, according to the report. Among the standout schools were Mallinckrodt Elementary in St. Louis and John T. Hartman Elementary in Kansas City, though the report noted both are selective magnet schools whose models may not be easily replicated. Non-selective schools such as Cedar Springs and Cole Camp elementaries were highlighted as open to all students in their communities while still producing strong outcomes for low-income children.
The report also examined student groups beyond income. Five Missouri schools posted higher reading proficiency rates for English learners than the state overall, led by McKelvey Intermediate School, where 71% of English learners scored proficient or better — roughly 30 points above the state’s overall proficiency rate, according to the analysis. The North Kansas City School District placed two schools in the top five of that category.
For students with disabilities, statewide proficiency was just 14% in third-grade reading. But at Lakeview Elementary in Wentzville, students with disabilities outperformed the statewide average for all students, the report found. The Lindbergh School District had two of the top five schools on that list.
Why Outlier Schools Matter for Missouri’s Reform Push
Missouri has spent several years overhauling how it teaches reading, investing millions of dollars in teacher training, evidence-based instruction, literacy screening and interventions for struggling readers, according to the report. Yet fourth-grade NAEP reading scores fell 10.4 points between 2013 and 2024 — described as one of the largest declines in the country — with more low performers and fewer medium and high performers than a decade ago.
The report’s central argument is that statewide averages can take years to respond to reforms still being implemented, so policymakers could accelerate improvement by studying schools that already produce strong outcomes for the students who struggle most. The analysis suggests that poverty need not determine reading outcomes: dozens of schools are getting disadvantaged students to proficiency at rates that exceed even the overall state average, indicating that classroom-level practices may be a factor worth investigating.
How the Bright Spots Analysis Was Done
: “The Bright Spots project at The 74 avoids ranking schools by raw scores alone, because high scores can reflect advantages students bring — such as arriving in kindergarten already knowing letters and sounds, or having parents who provide extensive literacy support at home. Instead, the project adjusted for student demographics and identified schools producing stronger reading outcomes than expected based on their average poverty level. Using that method, the project sorted through data on 42,000 schools nationally and designated 2,158 as Bright Spots.
For the Missouri-specific findings, the report used a simpler approach: identifying schools getting good results for student groups that typically struggle, using 2025 state third-grade reading test data. The article is part of The 74’s broader Spotlight series on Missouri education.
“Some of these schools may benefit from exceptional leadership, unusually talented teachers or local circumstances that would be difficult to replicate elsewhere.”
— The 74 report
What the Test Data Cannot Explain
The report is explicit that the data does not explain why the identified schools succeed. Possible factors — exceptional leadership, unusually talented teachers, or local circumstances — have not been verified through classroom visits or interviews. Some of the highest-profile schools on the list, including the St. Louis and Kansas City magnet schools, are selective and may not offer models other schools can copy. It is also unclear how much of any school’s performance reflects practices introduced under Missouri’s recent reading reforms versus pre-existing conditions. The report does not assess whether the identified schools sustained similar results across multiple years.
Classroom Visits Could Follow the Data
According to the report, the suggested next step is for state leaders to visit the identified schools, interview teachers and principals, examine their curricula and observe how they support struggling readers, in order to determine which policies are working and which are obstructing progress. Missouri’s broader reading reform efforts remain in implementation, meaning statewide results — including future NAEP scores and state test results — will be watched for signs of improvement. No state-led review of the identified schools has been announced.
Key Questions
Which Missouri schools were identified as bright spots for low-income readers?
The report named Mallinckrodt Elementary in St. Louis and John T. Hartman Elementary in Kansas City, though both are selective magnet schools. Non-selective schools highlighted included Cedar Springs and Cole Camp elementaries.
How did Missouri’s English learner standouts perform?
Five schools had higher reading proficiency for English learners than the state overall. McKelvey Intermediate School led with 71% of English learners scoring proficient or better on the third-grade reading test — about 30 points above the state’s overall rate.
How did students with disabilities at the standout schools perform?
Statewide, only 14% of students with disabilities reached proficiency in third-grade reading. At Lakeview Elementary in Wentzville, students with disabilities outperformed the statewide average for all students.
Why did the analysis not simply rank schools by test scores?
Raw scores can reflect advantages students bring from home rather than what the school itself adds. The Bright Spots method adjusts for poverty and demographics to find schools outperforming expectations.
How far have Missouri’s reading scores fallen?
According to the report, fourth-grade NAEP reading scores fell 10.4 points between 2013 and 2024 — one of the largest declines in the country.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
