For the fourth year in a row, Lindbergh Schools teachers have led students to academic excellence, as the district once again ranked No. 1 in academic achievement among all K-12 districts in Missouri.

The ranking is according to student achievement data from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which was released on Aug. 22, according to a district news release.

Lindbergh students’ scores on the Missouri Assessment Program, or MAP, tests far exceed state averages in communication arts and math, the release stated.

In communication arts, 78.9 percent of students scored proficient or advanced; compared with 55.6 percent on average in the state of Missouri. On the math test, 83.6 percent of Lindbergh students scored proficient or advanced, compared with a state average of 53.9 percent.

Lindbergh High School’s scores ranked first in English-language arts and fourth overall among Missouri’s traditional public high schools.

As the No. 1 middle school in the state, Truman Middle School scores ranked first in English-language arts, math and overall student achievement among Missouri’s traditional public middle schools. Sperreng also performed well, ranking third in math and fifth overall in the state.

Three Lindbergh elementary schools — Concord, Crestwood and Long — ranked among the top 10 in the state in overall student achievement, among traditional elementaries.

“We are so proud of our Lindbergh teachers, students, administrators and families for creating a community that supports excellence in education and pushes every child to achieve his or her best,” Nancy Rathjen, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, stated in the release. “Our teachers collaborate and challenge themselves to improve instruction year after year, and their efforts continue to yield amazing results.”

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education changed its overall rating system for schools this year, incorporating such data as attendance, graduation rates and college and career readiness, in addition to state standardized test scores.

Lindbergh Schools once again achieved “Accredited with Distinction,” earning a score of 99.3 percent.

Rathjen stated professional development for teachers, individualized and small-group instruction in classrooms, and frequent assessments of student achievement all contribute to Lindbergh’s top test scores.

Lindbergh also distinguishes itself among traditional Missouri public schools with the high level of interactive classroom technology training that is offered to teachers. As a result of this program, students bring their own digital devices to use in school each day and are well prepared for careers in a 21st century global society, according to the release.

“We continue to strive for rigor in every classroom and excellence in technology usage, to prepare students for successful futures,” Rathjen stated in the release. “Across the board, our parents play an active role in their child’s learning as well, and emphasizing the importance of education to our children has an invaluable effect on student achievement.”