Improving AYP
| Understanding AYP & Tips for Improving Your School's Rating
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is a federal law that requires that states sets goals and create accountability systems for schools to exhibit continuous academic improvement. Broadly stated, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is the key measure that determines whether a school or district is achieving that improvement. AYP requires that each group of students meets or exceeds the statewide annual objective and that 95% of the students enrolled in each group participate in the assessments on which AYP is based. |
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In general, most states rely heavily on annual assessments to determine students’ progress along with other indicators, such as graduation rates and attendance. When schools do not meet the standard for a given period, they are subject to sanctions, which can include loss of Title I funding. In the case of charter schools, not meeting AYP for a given period can mean the loss of the charter and school closure.
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Although each state is unique, there are some guidelines for improvement that apply to any school in any state:
- Make sure students test. There will always be cases of illness and other circumstances, but it is vital that students are present for assessments. Untested students generally have a negative impact on performance indicators. Ensure that students who miss assessments are present for any make-up tests.
- Focus on “bubble” students, no matter where that bubble lies. Moving even small numbers of students up a level can have a big impact on your performance indicators. Many states test in the fall and the spring and use the highest score. Take advantage of those months to identify and help these students.
- Enlist the help of professionals. Most schools do not have the expertise needed to analyze data and develop strategies for improvement, and many do not provide staff training to understand the complexities of the system. Consider bringing programs such as. SchoolOne’s AYP Bootcamp to your school or contact your state charter organization for recommendations.
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