No Child Left Behind (NCLB) affects your school and every public K-12 school in the country. Key requirements of the law are: closing achievement gaps, holding schools accountable for all students and having a Highly Qualified teacher in every classroom.
The ABCs and NCLB reports may seem to give conflicting information about your school’s performance. Schools can do well in the ABCs and fail to meet standards for NCLB because of the different ways the models look at test results and because of different components considered in each model. The ABCs sets performance standards for the school as a whole and growth standards for individual students. These standards are compiled to determine a school’s growth status and resulting designation such as School of Excellence and High Growth. Schools have an additional challenge under NCLB.
2008-09 Targets for Mathematics
77.2 percent of students in grades 3-8 must be proficient
68.4 percent of students in grade 10 must be proficient
2008-09 Targets for Reading/Language Arts
43.2 percent of students in grades 3-8 must be proficient
38.5 percent of students in grade 10 must be proficient
Proficiency targets for mathematics and reading have been recalculated. Mathematics targets for grades 3-8 were changed for the 2005-06 school year and reading targets for grades 3-8 were changed for the 2007-08 school year.
Grade 10 reading targets are based on students scoring proficient on both English I and Grade 10 Writing; Grade 10 mathematics targets are based on Algebra I (including “banked” scores, i.e., Algebra I scores for tenth graders who took Algebra I in any prior school year). Reading and mathematics targets for grade 10 were last changed for the 2007-08 school year. Comparisons of current results to those prior to the recalculation years should be avoided as they will be inaccurate.
The measurement used for NCLB is Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). AYP “sets the bar” for school performance by groups of students, and schools can either clear the bar or miss it. There is flexibility including Safe Harbor, confidence interval, and AYP growth. Targets are set for student attendance, cohort graduation rates, student participation in assessments, and for student performance on the state standardized tests in reading and mathematics.
Schools work toward targets in each of those areas for the school’s performance as a whole and for the following student groups: White, Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, Multi-racial, Economically Disadvantaged, Limited English Proficient, and Students with Disabilities. Most schools will not have all groups represented at their school, but all schools will have the School as a Whole (all students) group.
Title I schools not making AYP for two consecutive years in the same subject (reading or mathematics) are identified for Title I School Improvement status and must provide students reasonable transfer options to another of the district’s public schools not in School Improvement status at the district’s transportation expense. After three years of not making AYP, Title I School Improvement schools must continue the transfer option and offer tutoring services to economically disadvantaged students not performing at grade level through a provider contracted by the state. Sanctions become increasingly severe each year a Title I School Improvement school does not make AYP. Non-Title I schools that do not make AYP do not face sanctions, but must amend their School Improvement Plans to indicate how they will improve.
Look at your child’s performance and be sure you understand where your child stands in reading and mathematics. Talk with your child's teacher(s) and principal to find out how you and your school can work together to improve your child’s performance. Be aware of your school’s performance under NCLB and the ABCs. Communicate your school’s successes to your community and look for ways to support your school in challenging areas.
More detailed information is available on the NC Department of Public Instruction’s No Child Left Behind website.