DEI Is Failing Black Students in the St. Louis Region
The latest academic performance data from the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) paints a stark and troubling picture: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are not improving academic outcomes for Black students in St. Louis City and County public schools.
Despite over a decade of DEI-focused education policy, Black students continue to lag their white peers. The MAP test—a state-mandated tool used to evaluate student learning and school effectiveness—shows dismal results for Black students in 2024:
Mathematics: Just 13.3% of Black students achieved proficiency
Science: Only 12.3% met proficiency standards
English Language Arts: A mere 19.0% reached grade-level benchmarks
These are not just statistics. These numbers represent 31,934 Black students whose futures are being compromised by a system that continues to fail them. In total, approximately 64,569 Black students are enrolled in public schools across St. Louis City and County—and the vast majority are not receiving the education they deserve.
A Decade of DEI—With Declining Results
Since the implementation of DEI initiatives under the Obama administration, schools have invested heavily in:
Bias and equity training for educators
Cultural competency programs
Equity audits and administrative oversight
Diversifying school staff and leadership
Despite good intentions, these efforts haven't led to better academic outcomes. MAP scores for Black students in St. Louis County have been declining since before COVID-19, highlighting systemic issues that DEI initiatives alone have yet to address. The poor test scores have only worsened since the introduction of DEI programs, suggesting that a more comprehensive approach is needed to genuinely improve educational performance.
The Data Doesn’t Lie
Visual data spanning from 2014 to 2024 across key subjects—English, math, and science—reveals a consistent and disturbing trend: Black students are falling further behind. The persistence of these achievement gaps makes one thing clear—DEI efforts are failing the very students they were implemented to help.
Figure 1: St Louis Area Black Students English Language Arts MAP Scores 2014-2024
Figure 2: St Louis Area Black Students Math MAP Scores 2014-2024
Figure 3: St Louis Area Black Students Science MAP Scores 2014-2024
Time for a New Approach
The MAP test data should serve as a wake-up call for every educator, parent, and policymaker in Missouri. The promise of public education means nothing if it fails the students who need it most. It’s time to stop defending systems that produce failure and start embracing solutions that prioritize student success. We cannot continue with the status quo. The Missouri River GOP proposes bold, student-focused solutions:
Expand School Choice: Give families real options. School choice empowers parents to select schools that best meet their children's needs—whether public, private, or charter. Equity should be measured not by policies or quotas, but by results: ensuring every child can succeed. We applaud Governor Mike Kehoe for expanding state support for the MOScholars program, which will allow 7,000 students to attend private schools. Combined with existing taxpayer-funded scholarships serving 2,700 additional students, this provides vital alternatives—but it still provides only 1.5% of Missouri’s K–12 students with an educational choice opportunity.
Reform School Board Elections: Move school board elections from low-turnout April contests to high-turnout November ballots. This change would restore accountability and curb the influence of progressive ideologies that prioritize racial quotas and political indoctrination over academic achievement.
Provide True Educational Equity: Invest in individualized instruction and summer school for all students who are academically underachieving. Public Schools can invest more while not increasing taxes since they are well funded. Increasing property taxes means school budgets are growing school budgets.