Meeting the test

When the No Child Left Behind mandate was first delivered by the federal government, it was seen as an attempt to impose accountability and require high-quality instruction to students in public schools across the nation.

As it turned out, NCLB became one thing in Missouri and something else in virtually every other state. Missouri set high standards -- which may never be met. This is a situation that deserves a much closer look.

Before NCLB, Missouri had good schools most everywhere except in the urban districts of Kansas City and St. Louis, which had been ravaged by costly desegregation programs. In an attempt to improve student performance in urban districts, Missouri established some of the toughest requirements in the nation.

The results are measured by the Missouri Assessment Program. As the latest results, reported last week, show, an increasing number of districts across the state are struggling to achieve adequate yearly progress. Some have had sanctions imposed on them.

But while the tough MAP requirements mean most Missouri districts won't meet the 2014 target of 100 percent proficiency in all measured areas, there is little doubt that the program has forced some districts to find ways to improve instruction. In that regard, students appear to be benefiting from the effort.