Our policy briefs ask and address contemporary questions in education research. They might offer an in-depth exploration of a new policy, a short description of a proposed program, or simply highlight the ongoing research occurring right here in the PRiME Center.
You can access all of our policy briefs by topic and author below!
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam—also known as The Nation’s Report Card—has been given to students since 1969. We discuss nationwide and Missouri-specific trends from the 2024 data release of 4th and 8th Grade Mathematics and Reading scores, and compare the results to the state’s own Missouri Assessment of Progress (MAP). Since 2019, the two sets of tests tell very different stories.
Since 2020, SLU has partnered with YouGov to poll Missouri likely voters on relevant political and education-related issues. In this brief, we dive into the results, focusing specifically on the education questions posed to voters in the Spring 2025 iteration of the survey.
Districts, states, and the federal government are investing in the community school strategy as a promising school improvement project to holistically support student development (Dryfoos, 2002). Educators and researchers alike are recognizing the need to support students and their families to promote meaningful experiences in school. Here, we investigate the history of St. Louis-area community schools.
Every state tracks student growth, using statistical models that estimate annual student level growth in tested subjects. Different states use different models and methods. This policy brief examines the types of student growth models across U.S. states, focusing on their methodologies, transparency, and implications for educational equity. Growth models such as Student Growth Percentiles (SGP), Growth to Proficiency Models, and Value-Added Models (VAM) provide critical insights into student progress and inform accountability measures. This is the first, national, publicly-available data set of the student growth models used in each state. Analysis reveals a widespread reliance on SGPs and similar frameworks, with some states incorporating demographic controls to address equity concerns.
The PRiME Center’s Executive Director, Dr. Collin Hitt, breaks down the Missouri Growth Model and answers frequently asked questions about Growth Scores.
The PRiME Center at Saint Louis University and the Office of Education Policy at the University of Arkansas commissioned YouGov to survey 900 Missouri and Arkansas parents of school-aged children to find out what they think about the education issues facing their communities. The poll was administered from May 16 to June 3, 2024. This full report with citations can be found on PRiME’s website HERE. In the following slide deck, we summarize only the Missouri parents’ responses (n = 450).
Scores on the Missouri MAP test are effectively flat from 2023 to 2024. Math scores have mostly returned to pre-pandemic levels. ELA scores have yet to recover, especially at the early grades, which remain at 2021 levels. This reflects a larger trend of declining early literacy rates.
This brief is a PRiME Center rapid analysis, released the same day as the Missouri MAP score results.
In this report, we bring together multiple publicly-available datasets and examine trends in public and non-public school enrollment over the past 16 years.
This brief examines trends in high school start times across the state of Missouri.
This brief examines trends in the types of reported disciplinary incidents in K–12 Missouri schools and analyzes demographic trends in the assignment of out-of-school suspensions.
In this brief, our partners at Saint Louis Research Practice Collaborative analyze student mobility in Saint Louis schools.
In this brief, we highlight poll results on public opinion regarding charter school expansion.
In this brief, we analyze the rapidly changing high school landscape in Saint Louis between 2011-2023.
In this brief, we analyze the newly released state test scores alongside national test score trends over the last five years.
This brief explores how Missouri school districts respond to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in instruction. While the state lacks a formal AI education policy, local districts have begun implementing guidelines and integrating AI tools into classrooms. We describe current AI policies and implementation practices in Missouri school districts. We also provide recommendations for equitable, ethical, and effective AI adoption in Missouri education.