No Child Left Behind

Overview of No Child Left Behind

The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 aims to bring all students up to the proficient level on state tests by the 2013-2014 school year, and to hold states and schools more accountable for results. NCLB requires all districts and schools receiving Title I funds to meet state "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) goals for their total student populations and for specified demographic subgroups, including major ethnic/racial groups, economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient (LEP) students, and students with disabilities. If these schools fail to meet AYP goals for two or more years, they are classified as schools "in need of improvement" and face consequences as outlined below. NCLB requires states to align tests with state academic standards and begin testing students on an annual basis in reading and math in grades 3 through 8 and at least once during grades 10 through 12 by the 2005-2006 school year. In addition, it requires the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and mathematics tests to be administered to a sample of fourth and eighth graders in each state every other year in order to make cross-state comparisons. NCLB also mandates school districts to hire teachers designated as "highly qualified" to teach core academic subjects in Title I programs. Finally, states must issue annual report cards for schools and districts.

Consequences for Schools "In Need of Improvement"

The following table shows the consequences for a school "in need of improvement" as defined by No Child Left Behind. In need of improvement (year) Consequence 1 2 3 4 5 School transfer options X X X X X Supplemental services X X X X Corrective action X X X Restructuring (planning) X X Restructuring (implementation) X After year 5, if a school fails to make AYP in subsequent years it continues to be classified "in need of improvement" and must offer school transfer options and supplemental services as defined below. For more information: No Child Left Behind: A Parents Guide (PDF), from the U.S. Department of Education.

Schools "In Need of Improvement"

A Title I school that fails to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) as defined by the state for two consecutive years is designated "in need of improvement, Year 1" and receives specific consequences outlined in the table below. For each subsequent year that a school fails to meet its AYP goals, the school's "in need of improvement" status advances and the school faces additional consequences. A school is no longer considered "in need of improvement" when it meets AYP for two consecutive years. This list shows the relationship between AYP and the year of improvement status for a school: Failed to make AYP for two consecutive years = Year 1 Failed to make AYP for three consecutive years = Year 2 Failed to make AYP for four consecutive years = Year 3 Failed to make AYP for five consecutive years = Year 4 Failed to make AYP for six consecutive years = Year 5 Note: Some state Departments of Education do not clearly identify the exact year of improvement for their schools, but instead only indicate which schools are "in need of improvement." If you are uncertain about the year of improvement status or possible consequences for your child's school, contact your school principal.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

No Child Left Behind requires states to measure "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) for schools receiving Title I funds with the goal of all students reaching the proficient level on reading/language arts and mathematics tests by the 2013-2014 school year. States must define minimum levels of improvement as measured by standardized tests chosen by the state. AYP targets must be set for overall achievement and for subgroups of students, including major ethnic/racial groups, economically disadvantaged students, limited English proficient (LEP) students and students with disabilities. If a school receiving Title I funding fails to meet its AYP target for two or more consecutive years, the school is designated "in need of improvement" and faces specific consequences as outlined below.

Title I Schools

Schools where at least 35 percent of the children in the school attendance area are from low-income families or at least 35 percent of the enrolled students are from low-income families are eligible to receive federal Title I funds. The proportion of low-income families is most frequently measured by the percent of students eligible to receive free and reduced-price lunch. Title I funds are to be used for programs designed to improve the academic achievement of children from low-income homes. Over half of all public schools receive funding under Title I. No Child Left Behind requires all districts and schools receiving Title I funds to meet state "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) goals for their total student populations and for specified demographic subgroups. If a school receiving federal Title I funding fails to meet their AYP target for two or more consecutive years, the school is designated "in need of improvement" and faces consequences as outlined below. Schools that do not receive federal Title I funds are considered non-Title I schools. The federal government does not require states to give non-Title I schools an improvement status, though some states may choose to do so. If your school is not a Title I school and has not made AYP for two or more consecutive years, check with your local school district to see what services are available.

What it means for you Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), parents have the right to know what their state's accountability system is and how their child and school are doing. Under Utah State Accountability System (UPASS), the important tests are the Iowas Basic Skills Test taken in 3rd, 5th, 8th, & 11th grades. All 10th graders must pass the Utah Basic Skills Test (UBST) to graduate. They have several opportunities to pass the test. 10th graders take it in the spring, 11th graders take it in the fall and spring, and 12th graders take it in the fall. Students have this many times to pass the exam and receive a regular diploma. If they attempt the test at least 3 times and still not pass they will still receive a diploma of a different standard. There is also a writing assessment given in the 5th & 8th grades. The other important tests are the end of level tests that students take at the end of the school year. If all groups of students do not do well on these tests, your school may not make what is called Adequate Yearly Progress or AYP. If a Title 1 school does not make AYP for 2 years then the district decides which other school parents can send their child to. If the Title 1 school does not make AYP for 3 years, they must offer tutoring.