What Happens When You Stay the Course

One good year can happen for a lot of reasons. What I wanted to know was what happens when districts stick with this work over time.

So we looked. Our white paper analyzed 26 districts we call "Deep Implementers": districts that have partnered with STEP UP for three or more years, with at least three consulting days each year.

Here's what we found.

From 2023 to 2025, Missouri's statewide average APR grew by 3.6 percentage points. Demographically similar districts working with a different provider grew by 2.6 points.

Our Deep Implementers grew by 11.6 points.

That's more than three times the state's growth.

And the results held across the group:

• Every Deep Implementer district kept its APR above 70%.

• Nearly 70% scored above 80%.

• Between 84.6% and 92.3% showed growth during their partnership.

These numbers don't prove that one thing caused every gain. Districts that stay with any approach for three years are committed districts, and commitment matters. But that's exactly the point. When districts stop chasing the next reform and commit to building clarity, year after year, the results add up.

To me, this is an equity story. Every student in these districts, no matter which classroom they walk into, is more likely to be taught what they'll be assessed on. That's what a guaranteed and viable curriculum is supposed to mean. Closing the alignment gap isn't about one great year. It's about building a system that keeps working for every student.

Read the full white paper.