Overview
State leaders in Missouri have taken a number of steps to advance high school transformation. State policy empowers school systems to award high school students credit toward graduation based on demonstrations of proficiency, not just seat time.
To help schools leverage this flexibility, state leaders launched the Success-Ready Students Network, a collaborative of over 95 Missouri school districts and educational organizations committed to reimagining education, with a focus on advancing competency-based learning. Schools in the collaborative receive access to resources that help support the transition to personalized, competency-based learning models.
In August 2023, state leaders approved an innovation waiver for 20 pilot districts within the Success-Ready Students Network. The waiver allows districts to implement alternative assessment methods beyond the traditional end-of-year Missouri Assessment Program tests. The U.S. Department of Education selected the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to take part in the Innovative Assessment Demonstration Authority Program beginning in the 2025-26 school year, which empowers DESE to begin development of its Success Ready Student Assessment (SRSA) system. Assessments are ongoing until July 2027.
To build on these efforts, state leaders could explore launching a statewide initiative with dedicated resources to incentivize community-led high school redesign.
