By Derrick ForsytheRecord Staff WriterThe Wright City R-II School District reported progress on its state assessment scores for the 2014-15 school year.Last spring, school districts throughout the state participated in the Missouri Assessment Program testing that implemented new standards and a new format. For the first time, the test was administered online for third through eighth grades.Students in the R-II district have shown dramatic progress over the past five years, officials noted.In 2010, the district exceeded the state average of proficient and advanced students on just one of the 22 tests administered. The latest results saw Wright City students eclipse the state mark in 15 of 23 tested areas.“These are the second best scores recorded this century,” said Superintendent David Buck. “With our collective focus on student engagement and rigor, we expect to continue to improve.”Since testing procedures having changed, the district cannot directly measure this year’s scores to that of previous scores, so the best way to measure is against the state average, officials said.“We are able to use metrics to compare our students’ scores to the state average and to reflect on our work in the classroom,” Buck said.One area that was particularly weak across the state was math, but Wright City actually reported substantial growth in that category.Assistant Superintendent Jen Hecktor pointed out the fifth-grade math cohort, which had 11.9 percent more students score proficient and advanced than the state average.“While the new standards are more rigorous, the Wright City teachers and students have proven they were well-prepared for this change,” she said.Hecktor says the state assessments are just one way that districts ensure they are meeting students’ needs.“Districts use multiple measures on a daily basis to evaluate teacher impact on student achievement, but Wright City is pleased that this one objective yardstick — the MAP test — revealed that the district continues to move in the right direction,” she said. “We are encouraged by our growth during this year of change.”Wright City R-II