No Child Left Behind

Key Elements of NCLB

• Goals of the law
• Accountability through testing
• Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
• Highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals

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Goals of the law

• Reduce the achievement gap among various groups:
  • School as a whole
  • Ethnic groups (6 major ethnic groups)
  • Economically disadvantaged
  • Students with disabilities
  • English language learners

• Improve the quality of education for all students

• Provide parents with more choices

• Require increased accountability

Accountability through testing

• Standards Based Assessments (SBAs) grades 3-10

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) – tells if schools are meeting the state’s goals

Schools must do 3 things to make AYP

1. 95% of all students must take the tests.

2. The required percent of students in all subgroups must be proficient (or on grade level) in both math and language arts. This required percent proficient moves from the current 77.18% (language arts) and 66.09% (math) to 100% proficient (or 100% on grade level) by 2013-14.

3. The school must meet the “other academic indicator.”

• For elementary and middle school this is an 85% attendance rate

• For high school this is a 55.58% graduation rate

How does a school not make AYP?

There are a total of 31 targets a school must reach in order to make AYP.

• 10 groups meet the language arts requirements
• 10 groups meet the math requirements
• 10 groups meet the 95% participation requirements
• 1 the school meets the “other academic indicator”

If a school misses even one target, that school does not make AYP.

What happens if a school doesn't meet AYP?

Title I schools (schools in neighborhoods with higher levels of low-income families – 17 of 90 ASD schools are Title I – that receive increased federal funding)

Years of not meeting AYP	Label	Consequence
1	Alert	School Improvement Plan
2	School Improvement I	Consequences above and offer supplemental services
3	School Improvement II	Consequences above and offer school choice
4	Corrective Action	Consequences above and some school restructuring
5	Reconstitution	Consequences above and major school restructuring

 

Non-Title I schools

Years of not meeting AYP	Label	Consequence
1	Alert	School Improvement Plan
2	School Improvement I	School Improvement Plan
3	School Improvement II	School Improvement Plan

 

Highly qualified teachers and paraprofessionals

All teachers of core academic subjects must meet new federal standards by June 30, 2006.

1. Must be fully certified
2. Must have a bachelor’s degree
3. Must prove subject area competency in the subject taught by doing ONE of the following:
   • degree or advanced degree in the subject
   • major or equivalent in the subject
   • passing score on a state-approved test
   • passing score on a state evaluation tool
   • being Nationally Board Certified in the subject area

Paraprofessionals (teacher aides and tutors) in Title I schools only must also meet new standards.

• Must have a high school diploma (or the equivalent) AND
• Must have a two-year college degree (or equivalent) OR
• Must pass a rigorous exam and evaluation