Students across the Excelsior Springs School District showed stronger academic growth during the 2025-26 school year, although district leaders say improving overall proficiency remains the next major challenge.

Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services Dr. Melissa Miller recently presented the district’s annual Academic Services Update to the Board of Education, highlighting STAR assessment data showing above-average academic growth across the district and outlining continued efforts to improve grade-level proficiency through instructional changes and targeted interventions.

STAR reading data for the 2025-26 school year showed a districtwide mean student growth percentile of 63. Cornerstone Elementary recorded a growth percentile of 68, followed by Lewis Elementary at 66, the middle school at 61 and Elkhorn Elementary at 59. All four schools fell within the assessment’s typical-tohigh growth ranges.

A student growth percentile compares a student’s academic progress with that of simil…