November 6, 2025 - Testing performance and student success continue to rise across Mexico Public Schools (MPS). The district earned 75% on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Annual Performance Report (APR) for the 2024–25 school year, the highest score MPS has received since the launch of the MSIP 6 accountability system in 2022.

This marks the second consecutive year of improvement and reinforces that student achievement at MPS is trending in the right direction.

The Missouri School Improvement Plan (MSIP) serves as the state’s framework for reviewing public school performance and setting expectations for school practices, academics, and student readiness. APR results help districts understand what is working well and where additional support is needed to ensure every student graduates prepared for college, career, and life.

A Strong Performance in Student Growth and Readiness. The latest report shows that MPS continues to make gains in Academic Achievement Growth, particularly in areas measured by state assessments. MPS also has a growing number of high school students challenging themselves academically while preparing for life beyond graduation. The strongest improvements were seen in:

• Individual student academic growth: Students exceeded predicted achievement levels
• Success-ready students: MPS earned all available points for advanced credit due to the highest percentage of students earning A’s and B’s in dual-credit courses in district history
   

Progress Year After Year. APR performance has steadily climbed during the MSIP 6 cycle:

• 75.0% in 2025
• 71.2% in 2024
• 65.8% in 2023
• 66.3% in 2022
   

These results show strong progress in college and career readiness, as well as meaningful gains in how individual students are improving over time, a primary focus for the district.

Superintendent Dr. Troy Lentz commented on the district’s score. "The improvements on the APR are a direct reflection on the efforts of our students and teachers. DESE's system honors student growth at the individual student level, and this APR shows that kids are learning. I'm proud of that growth, and I am proud of the percentage of high school students who earned As or Bs in dual credit college courses. The APR also shows areas we can improve, and we will continue to evaluate our programs and practices because our kids deserve the best."

Responding to Areas of Need. One challenge highlighted in the report was elementary math performance. District and school testing tools throughout the year had already identified this area as a concern, allowing steps to begin before the APR release. To strengthen math achievement for young learners in the 2025-26 school year and beyond, MPS has:

• Implemented a more rigorous Math curriculum
• Added a full-time elementary math instructional coach to support teachers and students
• Expanded teacher collaboration across all elementary grade levels
• Host bi-monthly professional training for teachers for each math module
• Continued use of i-Ready assessments to monitor growth and adjust instruction
• Strengthened Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to ensure students receive targeted help

These shifts are underway this school year and are expected to support improvement in future results.

DESE reported that more than 91 percent of Missouri public schools met or exceeded statewide standards, indicating that schools are making meaningful gains in their APR scores. Missouri’s attendance rate, graduation rate, and Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores continue to improve. More information about APR can be found on the DESE website.