Analytics

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Launches Data Visualization Tool to Track Student and School Performance

• By Kate Lucariello
• 03/07/24

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and data analytics company SAS have partnered to launch a web-based tool that provides reports and analysis on performance, achievement, and growth at all K–12 schools in the state to help guide decision-making about effective learning strategies.

The Missouri Data Visualization Tool (MO DVT) is hosted on the SAS website. Reports are available on two separate pages: a public page for general LEA information, and a restricted login page for school personnel to access student cohort and individual growth projection data.

"The focus is on student growth rather than student proficiency on the state assessment," the MO DVT website states. "The Missouri Data Visualization Tool (MO DVT) provides visualizations of these data, helping educators identify best practices, design instruction to best meet the needs of their students, and make informed decisions about where to focus resources to ensure growth opportunities for all students."

The public access site provides Local Education Agency (LEA) reports for subject, year, and grade. Users can select data for each separate school, see trends over time, and run comparisons.

"This feature can help provide insight into the effects of educational practices on student learning," the release noted.

A help feature gives detailed information about how the reports are generated and how to interpret them.

On the restricted site, the model uses data from previous years to determine how much growth a student made in a year, according to SAS. It also uses assessment data to project how a student might score on state proficiency exams at the course and grade level in order to help school personnel plan for intervention and allocate resources.

"I believe MO DVT will provide our teachers and principals with a deeper understanding of how we can improve," said Sam Duncan, New Madrid County R-I School District superintendent. "Our educators are currently digging into individual student data from MO DVT and look forward to learning more about how this tool can help us track and improve student growth."

To learn more, download help guides, and access the building and LEA growth, performance, and comparison reports for individual institutions, visit the SAS MO DVT welcome page.

To view the public site to see building and LEA growth, performance, and growth, and comparison reports for individual institutions, visit the MO DVT tool and click on the Public Access button. Also scroll down to learn more about the MO DVT and download help guides for using it.