When it comes to student achievement in Missouri, the story depends on which test you’re reading. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Missouri students—like students across the country—have faced significant academic challenges. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as the "Nation’s Report Card," tells us that reading and math scores in Missouri have dropped dramatically for both 4th and 8th graders. But a look at the state’s own MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) test results paints a different picture: only slight declines, and in some cases, no decline at all.