The Missouri State Board of Education (State Board) met September 15 to approve the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) proposed A–F Grade Card Framework, consider the department’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2028 budget request, receive an update from St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), and discuss additional matters.
A–F Grade Card Framework: Recommendations
As the first item for discussion, the State Board heard from school leaders in Monett R‑I, Oran R‑III, Pattonville R‑III, and Joplin Schools, who urged adjustments to DESE’s proposed A–F grade card rollout.
School leaders recommended a pilot year for districts to review draft grades and address calculation issues, delaying the literacy measure until 2026–27, keeping the statewide test windows open until mid‑May, and preserving current data‑validation timelines.
Leaders also cautioned that raising grading thresholds when 65% of schools earn an A or B would create a forced curve that would not accurately reflect improvement, emphasized that A–F grades should not be mistaken for accreditation, and asked the State Board to use its authority to modify timelines, including adding a pilot year.
View the presentation slides here.
State Board Approves A‑F Grade Card Framework
The State Board approved implementation of DESE’s proposed A–F School and District Grading Framework — required by Executive Order 26‑01 — allowing DESE to prepare data for publication, develop a technical guide, and set a pilot timeframe using 2024–25 data.
The framework provides the basis for A–F grade cards designed to give families and communities a straightforward view of school performance. The framework’s measures include academic achievement, value‑added growth, growth to proficiency, success-ready graduate indicators, and graduation rates.
During discussion, State Board members specifically asked how the framework accounts for the impact of poverty on student outcomes and whether a pilot year should be initiated before implementing the system statewide.
In response to the State Board’s concerns, DESE said the framework uses growth measures that reflect improvement in student scores, regardless of economic status, background or starting point on the proficiency scale. DESE will pilot the framework before releasing it publicly.
View the A-F grade card framework presentation slides here.
Read the news release about the A-F grading framework here.
Fiscal Year 2028 Budget Request
Dr. Kyle Kruse, DESE Deputy Commissioner of Financial and Administrative Services, and Rebecca Jackson, DESE Chief Budget Officer, presented the FY 2028 budget, which includes new decision items and supplemental requests. The State Board approved the FY 2028 budget as presented, except for the foundation formula request.
The State Board directed that the total budget request for the foundation formula remain at the FY 2027 level of $4,282,736,000, which is approximately $270 million less than the amount required to fully fund the formula.
The FY 2028 budget includes funding for early childhood programs and high‑need special education. It also includes required initiatives, such as oversight of school athletics, antisemitism reporting, elementary agriculture education, STEM career exploration, and communication access services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
DESE will submit the FY 2028 budget request to the Office of Administration by the October 1 deadline.
View the FY28 budget presentation slides here.
St. Louis Public Schools Update
The State Board received a briefing from St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS) Superintendent Dr. Myra Berry outlining progress in the district’s four priority areas: attendance, literacy, finance, and operations.
SLPS is working to raise attendance through the Attendance Works framework, school-based team training, and a districtwide campaign. The district aims to increase attendance from 52.5% to 82.5% by 2028.
Literacy efforts include expanded phonics instruction, LETRS training, high-dosage tutoring, and regular benchmark assessments.
Financial improvements include stronger internal controls, earlier budget planning, a new ERP system, and enhanced grants management. The district reports a fund balance above 50%.
Other Items
The State Board also approved an amendment to 5 CSR 25‑200.060 regarding child care subsidy eligibility and authorized a 5-year charter application for the North County Innovative School (NCIS).
Looking Ahead
The State Board’s next meeting is set for October 20, 2026, in Jefferson City.
Meeting Materials
Click here to review all the presentation slides from the meeting.