Accountability

During Spring of 2025, KCPS students participated in Missouri Grade Level Assessments for Grades 3 – 8 and High School End of Course Exams for Algebra I, English 10, Biology I, and American Government. For each assessment, the Individual Student Report (ISR) provides a scale score and a performance level, including a brief description of the level. This information may be used for instructional planning, as a point of reference during parent-teacher conferences, and for permanent record-keeping. Other sources of information, such as classroom performance, should be considered in conjunction with this report when determining the student’s areas of strength or need.

A hard copy of your student’s ISR will be available during parent/teacher conferences. If you wish to obtain the report before then, please do not hesitate to follow up during your school’s welcome back-to-school event.

Information about the MAP Grade-Level Assessments - Individual Student Report (ISR):

The Individual Student Report (ISR) provides information about performance on the MAP Grade-Level Assessments in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science, describing results in terms of four levels of performance in a content area.

Performance level scores describe what students can do in terms of the content and skills assessed by the MAP. Because the English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science Missouri Learning Standards are grounded in expectations for college and career readiness, the MAP Grade-Level Assessments are designed to measure each student’s progress toward meeting those expectations. Teachers, students, and parents/guardians can use this information, in conjunction with the student's classroom performance, to identify the skills and abilities that need to be developed to enable the student to progress to higher performance levels. A student in the Proficient or Advanced level has met the standard. Students in the Below Basic and Basic levels have typically mastered some foundational skills described in those levels; however, additional learning is needed for students to achieve the deeper levels of understanding and application outlined within the Missouri Learning Standards.

Information about the End-of-Course Assessments - Individual Student Report (ISR):

The Individual Student Report (ISR) provides information about achievement on the End-of-Course Assessment, describing results in terms of four levels of performance in a content area. It is used to measure and reflect an individual student’s mastery of postsecondary readiness in a specific content area.

Performance level scores describe what students can do in terms of the Course-Level Expectations for the content and skills assessed by the End-of-Course Assessment. Students in the Proficient or Advanced levels have met the standard. Students in the Below Basic or Basic levels need to work on the skills described for their level in the Performance Level Descriptors, as well as on skills in the next higher level.

The ISR also includes scale scores for the individual reporting categories of the assessment. Additionally, ISRs for English Language Arts include a Lexile Measure, which estimates the student's reading ability. Mathematics consists of a Quantile Measure, which estimates the student's readiness for mathematics instruction.

If you have any questions about the student report, DESE has a Parenting Guide to Interpreting the Results available at https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/map-grade-level-assessment-spring-2025-guide-interpreting-results and https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/end-course-guide-interpreting-results-2024-2025, or you can contact your school’s office.

We greatly appreciate your continued support of KCPS. Your involvement in your child's education is invaluable.

This division encompasses the following departments and offices:

Department of Research, Accountability, and Assessment provides data analyses, evaluations, and other services to facilitate the monitoring of progress towards accomplishing the Strategic Plan vision, purpose, and core values.
- Office of Research & Accountability
- Office of Assessment
- Office of Dropout Prevention & Attendance
Department of Planning and Real Estate leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of planning initiatives and oversees the reuse/redevelopment of surplus property.

Additional information and resources can be found in each section below.

Departments and Offices

Department of Accountability, Research, & Assessment
Department of Planning and Real Estate

Department of Accountability, Research, & Assessment

The Department of Research, Accountability, and Assessment provides data analyses, evaluations, and other services to facilitate the monitoring of progress towards accomplishing the Strategic Plan vision, purpose, and core values. The department is committed to supporting the vision that Kansas City Public Schools will be among the highest performing school systems in the nation as a result of creating, sustaining, and investing in a culture of deliberate equity for everyone.

The Department of Research, Accountability, and Assessment is responsible for: 

Conducting and reporting the results of research and program evaluations related to factors that impact student achievement
Implementing and monitoring state and county-mandated testing programs, including the MAP (Measure of Academic Process), MSIP, and High School Assessments (HSA).
Coordinating preparation of the district’s Scorecard as well as other accountability and compliance processes and reporting
Supporting the business intelligence and data warehouse information systems.
Leading the development, implementation, and monitoring of planning initiatives
Facilitate use of data to inform classroom instruction

Office of research & accountability  

The Office of Research and Accountability supports the vision, mission, and goals of Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS), in accordance with the system's Strategic Plan and Master Plan by providing support to schools and offices in analyzing data and providing research findings to guide instructional decision making and resource utilization.

The Office of Research and Accountability is responsible for: 

Designing and implementing program evaluations and research activities.
Providing research and statistical analysis services to schools and offices of KCPS.
Providing data analyses to support the performance goals and indicators set forth in the Strategic Plan.
Providing support in the design, implementation, and analysis of survey research for schools and offices.
Collecting and reporting data as required by the state of Missouri.

Resources

DESE Public Reports

External KCPS (non-staff) - Research Request Form
KCPS is not currently accepting external requests for permission to conduct research.

KCPS Staff ONLY - Research Request Form

Office of Assessment

Consistent with Kansas City Public Schools' Strategic Plan, the Office of Assessment provides support in disseminating, facilitating, collecting, and maintaining information related to the successful administration of state-mandated assessments used for student learning in order to sustain national and state standards, while accomplishing the goals of increased student achievement and continuous school improvement.  

Our primary goals throughout assessments are to: 

Provide information and technical expertise to assist schools.
Ensure validity and test integrity.
Support all stakeholders, not limited to, students, parents, central office and the community.

Resources

2025-2026 Assessment Calendar

iReady

For Families

iReady at Home Checklist

iReady Assessment at Home Support

iReady Proctoring Tests at Home 2021

For Teachers and Administrators

Teacher iReady at Home Checklist

2021 Leadership Success Guide

2021 Teacher Success Guide

Department of Planning and Real Estate 

The Department of Planning and Real Estate leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of planning initiatives and oversees the reuse/redevelopment of surplus property. 

The Department of Planning and Real Estate is responsible for: 

Managing and monitoring the implementation of the KCPS Strategic Plan and other district planning initiatives;
Providing demographic studies, enrollment projections, and mapping services for schools and offices of KCPS;
Soliciting proposals and promoting opportunities to repurpose surplus property;
Evaluating the use of local redevelopment incentive programs and policies to ensure economic development activities do not adversely impact the financial sustainability of the district