Although Excelsior Springs’ student performance is improving in most cases, middle schoolers are still lacking in English Language Arts (ELA), according to state testing data released to the Excelsior Springs School Board this past week. Roughly 20% of middle school students in grades 6-8 scored below basic in ELA courses, indicating a minimal command of skills identified by the state’s learning standards from the 2021-2022 school year, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Excelsior Springs Assistant Superintendent Melissa Miller explained the district will continue to embrace learning, starting with literacy, which will continue to be her primary focus. A new program embraced by Miller called “Wit and Wisdom” is designed for students to dig deeper into thematic units to enhance their literacy education, she noted. “The books and lessons students encounter will help build up background knowledge,” Miller said. She said some students…