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No Child Left Behind

Glossary of terms

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Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Adequate Yearly Progress is the minimum level of improvement that school districts and schools must achieve each year as determined under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

 

Annual Measurable Objective (AMO)

AMO is the percent proficient on exams required by the state. These are the AMO's for Alaska by year and subject:

School
Year

AMO for
Language Arts

AMO for
Mathematics

2002-03 64.03% 54.86%
2003-04 64.03% 54.86%
2004-05 70.03% 62.83%
2005-06 70.03% 62.83%
2006-07 70.03% 62.83%
2007-08 76.03% 69.9%
2008-09 76.03% 69.9%
2009-10 76.03% 69.9%
2010-11 82.03% 77.42%
2001-12 88.03% 84.94%
2012-13 94.03% 92.46%
2013-14 100% 100%

 

Core Academic Subjects

Core academic subjects are English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civic and government, economics, art (defined as music, theatre, and art), history, geography, social studies and speech communications.

 

Disaggregated Data

"Disaggregate" means to separate a whole into its parts. In education, this term means that test results are sorted by groups of students who are economically disadvantaged, from racial and ethnic groups, have disabilities or have limited English proficiency. This practice allows parents and teachers to see more than just the average test score for a student's school. Instead, parents and teachers can see how each student group is performing.

 

Economically Disadvantaged Student (EDS)

Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch program.

 

Full Academic Year (FAY)

Full academic year is defined as October 1st through the first day of testing. That is determined by school, by district, and by state. In other words, if a student moves during that timeline between one school and another in the same district, he would not count for AYP determinations in the school, but he would in the district. Likewise, if a student moves between districts in the same state, he would only be counted in the state determinations.

 

Highly qualified teacher

A highly qualified teacher is defined as one who has obtained full state teacher certification or has passed the state teacher licensing examination and holds a license to teach in the state; holds a minimum of a bachelor’s degree; and has demonstrated subject area competence in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches.

 

Limited English Proficient (LEP)

Limited English Proficient (LEP) refers to students for whom English is a second language and who are not reading or writing English at grade level.

 

Multi-Ethnic (ME)

Students identified as having two or more ethnicities/races.

 

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

NCLB is the most recent authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is the principal federal law affecting K-12 educators.

 

Parental Involvement

Parental involvement is the participation of parents in regular, two-way, meaningful communication involving students’ academic learning and other school activities. The involvement includes ensuring that parents play an integral role in assisting their child’s learning; that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education at school; that parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included, as appropriate, in decision making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.

 

Percent Proficient

Set by the state, this is the percentage of students that must be proficient on exams each year to make AYP.

 

Proficiency

Proficiency is mastery or the ability to do something at grade level.

Safe Harbor

"Safe Harbor" is a provision in No Child Left Behind intended for schools and districts that are making progress in student achievement but are not yet meeting target goals for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). It is designed to prevent the over-identification of schools not making AYP.

 

Student With Disabilities (SWD)

Special Education (SPED) student with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

 

Supplemental services

Students from low-income families who are attending schools that have been identified as failing for two years will be eligible to receive outside tutoring or academic assistance. Parents can choose the appropriate services for their child from a list of approved providers. The school district will purchase the services.

 

Title I

Title I provides federal funding for schools to help students who are behind academically or at risk of falling behind. Funding is based on the number of low income children in a school, generally those eligible for the free lunch program. Title I is intended to supplement, not replace, state and district funds. Schools receiving Title I money are supposed to involve parents in deciding how these funds are spent and in reviewing process. Title I used to be called Chapter One. Click here for a list of Title I schools.

 

 

 



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