Making Adequate Yearly Progress in Student Achievement The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires all states accepting Title I funds to undergo a process of increased accountability. In essence, states must establish concrete learning goals and subsequently offer evidence that all students are achieving those goals. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is the provision of NCLB requiring states to prove (through assessment data) that all students are making gains toward meeting state learning standards. The end goal is for all students to perform proficiently in reading and math by 2013-14. Although the process of demonstrating AYP is somewhat complex and is carried out at the district and state levels, its goals and consequences have implications for every school and teacher covered by the law. Assessment Schedule Specifically, NCLB mandates that by the 2005-06 school year, states will assess students' progress in reading and math in each of grades 3 through 8 and at least once in grades 10 through 12. By 2007-08, states must also have in place science assessments. Student Assessment Requirements By 2005-06 Reading Math Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 At least once in Grades 10, 11, or 12 By 2007-08 Reading Math Science Same as above Same as above Once in grades 3-5; 6-9; 10-12. What NCLB Says about Accountability The accountability process actually begins with states establishing standards for what students should know. It continues with states measuring and reporting achievement of the standards using three performance levels: Passed basic Passed proficient Passed advanced Local Report Cards Tests results must be made public through local report cards. The state must break down (disaggregate) achievement by sub-categories: race, gender, ethnicity, English language proficiency, migrant status, disability status, and low-income status. In the past, school divisions reported student progress overall rather than by sub-category. Students who, as a group, performed poorly were folded into the overall numbers. NCLB, however, holds states and localities responsible for demonstrating achievement of all students through Adequate Yearly Progress of the disaggregated sub-groups. How Is Adequate Yearly Progress Determined? In its first year, the U.S. Department of Education implemented a three-pronged approach to state responsibility. States initially: determined learning standards developed assessments to measure student mastery of those standards at specific grade intervals determined the levels at which students could demonstrate sufficient performance on such assessments In 2003, states continued in their efforts to establish AYP by determining a starting point or baseline proficiency level. To do this, they had to analyze test data and choose the larger of the following two numbers: the percent proficient in the lowest performing subgroup of students the percent proficient in the school at the 20th percentile of student enrollment in the state Example of Setting a Proficiency Baseline Assume a state average in elementary math assessment was 20% for low-income students, and the percent proficient at the 20th percentile of student enrollment within the state was 40%. The state must take the larger of the two, so the beginning point for math AYP is 40%. States have been permitted to establish one baseline for all grade levels or separate baselines for elementary, middle, and high school. States cannot set differing starting points for various schools or for sub-groups of students. Once the beginning point is established, states set targets to increase the number of students who become proficient, progressively, until 100% of students achieve proficient status in 2013–14. Additionally, states also demonstrate achievement through graduation rates from high schools and through one additional state-selected means in elementary and middle schools, usually attendance. The Flow of Accountability States determine standards and assessments   ↓   States determine a proficiency baseline and incremental achievement goals   ↓   Local Education Agencies (usually school districts) implement standards-based curriculums   ↓   Schools educate and test students   ↓   Schools are held accountable for making adequate yearly progress Reaching Adequate Yearly Progress States determine whether a school is achieving AYP through the sub-group assessment reporting for that school, as well as by looking at the one additional measure. At least 95% of the students in each sub-group must be tested. Schools that do not meet the statewide goal may still show AYP. To do so, the school must reduce the percent of students below proficient by 10% from the previous year while still making progress in the additional measure. Further safeguards include allowing schools to: average scores across three years (NCLB dictates AYP reporting in three-year intervals), report for students who have been enrolled at least one full academic year, and report only for sub-groups that are large enough to be measurable (each state sets the minimum number of students required for sub-group accountability). Failure to Reach AYP NCLB carefully outlines the steps that will be followed to protect students and communities from underachieving schools. Consequences for Failing to Meet AYP After 1 Year None - Schools should use this information to correct the problems that exist. After 2 Years Schools must: Notify parents Give parents the option to transfer their students to a higher performing school within the same district Use federal funds to pay the transfer costs for students Determine a plan to improve After 3 Years Schools must: Do all of the above Use federal funds to make tutoring and other supplemental programs available to students After 4 Years Schools must: Take corrective action, which can include replacing staff, developing a new curriculum, restructuring the school, extending the school year, bringing in an expert, and/or decreasing management authority at the school After 6 Years The school will be restructured, perhaps as a charter school, private school, or state-managed school. This article was contributed by Janice West Christy, English Department Chair at Louisa High School in Louisa, Virginia.