Statewide results for the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) revealed that elementary school students received low scores in science for the third year in a row. Only 42.7 percent of 5th grade students scored proficient or above in the test, down from about 47.5 percent last year.
Communications Specialist for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Nancy Bowles said that these scores indicate the increased importance of science education in Missouri.
Bowles said science education is imperative as it helps to give students an idea of the world around them, as well as strengthen their skills for future STEM jobs.
“We know that those fields are very important moving forward in our world," Bowles said. "We want to make sure that as many kids as possible have the depth of learning that they need to succeed in those fields."
Bowles said the Department is also offering professional development in science for teachers across the state to help them in their instruction.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will release district-specific numbers for schools on September 29.
