© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Look What Happens When Kansas, Missouri Test Scores Are On A Level Playing Field

American Institutes for Research -- highlighting KCUR

For years, states have decided the definition of reading and math proficiency with their own sets of standards.

The result? Kansas children often seem to come out ahead of Missouri children in math and reading, when comparing the states' data.

But when this data is normalized across all 50 states, there's a different story.

RELATED: What You Probably Didn't Know About Academic Standards In Kansas And Missouri

This year, the American Institute for Research pushed the data through a rather complicated formula, based on 2011 test scores, to see how the states stacked up against each other under the same standards.

Analysts standardized the data by using three widely used assessments — the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study and the test that’s used in the United States, the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

See how the narrative in Missouri and Kansas changes in the below charts, which show how states compared when using their own standards and then what grades the states received when taking into account the same standards across all 50 states.

Credit American Institutes for Research -- highlighting KCUR
/
American Institutes for Research -- highlighting KCUR
Missouri and Kansas fourth-grade reading scores, compared using state standards (top), and international benchmarking.
Credit American Institutes for Research -- highlighting KCUR
/
American Institutes for Research -- highlighting KCUR
Missouri and Kansas eighth-grade math scores, compared using state standards (top) and international benchmarking.

This look at Missouri and Kansas is part of KCUR's months-long examination of how geographic borders affect our daily lives in Kansas City. KCUR will go Beyond Our Borders  and spark a community conversation through social outreach and innovative journalism.

We will share the history of these lines, how the borders affect the current Kansas City experience and what’s being done to bridge or dissolve them. Be a source for Beyond Our Borders: Share your perspective and experiences on the state line with KCUR.

You deserve to know what your taxpayer dollars are paying for and what public officials are doing on your behalf – I’ll work to report on irresponsible government spending in the Kansas City area and shed light on controversies that slow government down. And when you hear my voice in the morning, you know you’re getting everything you need to start your day. Email me at sam@kcur.org, find me on Twitter @samzeff or call me at 816-235-5004.
KCUR serves the Kansas City region with breaking news and award-winning podcasts.
Your donation helps keep nonprofit journalism free and available for everyone.