Welcome to
No Child Left Behind
Progress
Q: What does Adequate Yearly Progress mean?
All schools and districts must annually make progress in increasing achievement for all student subgroups. The subgroups are economically disadvantaged students, limited English speakers, students with disabilities and students in major racial and ethnic minority groups.
Each state will define adequate yearly progress based on federal parameters. The goal is to bring all students to the "proficient" level on state assessments by 2014.
The law requires districts and states to issue annual report cards. The state of Colorado and DPS already comply with this law. To access the DPS school reports, click here and type in the name of the school that interests you.
Q: How is annual yearly progress calculated?
Under the law, states must establish a definition of adequate yearly progress that each district and school is expected to meet. States must specify annual objectives to measure progress of schools and districts to ensure that all groups of students-including low-income students, students from major racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and students with limited English proficiency-reach proficiency within 12 years.
States must set intermediate goals that provide for annual adequate yearly progress targets. The baseline for AYP is the 2001-2002 school year as measured by the results from the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP). In order to make adequate yearly progress, schools must test at least 95 percent of their students in each of the above groups.
Q: What testing is required?
Starting in 2005-06, all states will be required to test students in reading and math annually in grades 3 through 8 and once more between grades 9-12. Science assessments are to be given beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, once in each of the following grade spans: 3-5; 6-9; and 10-12.
Q: What is the connection between the state School Accountability Report and the Title I list of schools on corrective action? Why don't these lists match?
While some of the same schools are on both lists, rankings of schools are determined using different criteria, so there is not an exact match.
For the State Accountability report, the state compared all schools in Colorado based on the results of the CSAP tests. Using a bell-shaped curve, the state ranked schools as excellent, high, average, low or unsatisfactory. The first year, 21 Denver Public Schools were rated as unsatisfactory.
For Title I school improvement, schools must reach progress targets for each group of students. Schools that did not meet AYP targets for two years are on "school improvement." If a school is listed on "school improvement" for two years without meeting AYP targets, the school is moved to the "corrective action" list. If the school still fails to make AYP they are placed on restructuring status.
Q: Why do state assessment standards for AYP vary?
Each state will develop its own testing and definitions of adequate yearly progress based on federal parameters.
Q: What are the growth targets?
The AYP targets are chosen by the state. They are the same for all disaggregated groups in each grade span (elementary, middle and high school).
The most basic requirement for making AYP is a 95% participation rate of students in all measurable subgroups taking state assessments.
AYP TARGETS:
| Year | Elementary School | Middle School | High School | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Math | Reading | Math | Reading | Math | |
| *2002 | 76.92 | 75.86 | 73.61 | 59.51 | 79.65 | 47.00 |
| 2003 | 76.92 | 75.86 | 73.61 | 59.51 | 79.65 | 47.00 |
| 2004 | 76.92 | 75.86 | 73.61 | 59.51 | 79.65 | 47.00 |
| 2005 | 82.69 | 81.90 | 80.21 | 69.63 | 84.74 | 60.25 |
| 2006 | 82.69 | 83.64 | 80.21 | 69.63 | 84.74 | 60.25 |
| 2007 | 82.69 | 83.64 | 80.21 | 69.63 | 84.74 | 60.25 |
| 2008 | 88.46 | 89.09 | 86.81 | 79.75 | 89.83 | 73.50 |
| 2009 | 88.46 | 89.09 | 86.81 | 79.75 | 89.83 | 73.50 |
| 2010 | 88.46 | 89.09 | 86.81 | 79.75 | 89.83 | 73.50 |
| 2011 | 94.23 | 94.54 | 93.41 | 89.88 | 94.92 | 86.75 |
| 2012 | 94.23 | 94.54 | 93.41 | 89.88 | 94.92 | 86.75 |
| 2013 | 94.23 | 94.54 | 93.41 | 89.88 | 94.92 | 86.75 |
| 2014 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
*Starting Point
In addition, there are targets for graduation rates for high school which, if not met, will put a school on improvement. In elementary and middle schools there are targets concerning the number of students performing in the advanced levels of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) that will have be met as well.
"Other Indicator" Performance Targets High School - Graduation Rate**
| Year | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| *2002 | 55.30% |
| 2003 | 55.30% |
| 2004 | 55.30% |
| 2005 | 57.40% |
| 2006 | 57.40% |
| 2007 | 57.40% |
| 2008 | 59.50% |
| 2009 | 59.50% |
| 2010 | 59.50% |
| 2011 | 61.60% |
| 2012 | 61.60% |
| 2013 | 61.60% |
| 2014 | 65.00% |
* Starting Point
"Other Indicator" Performance Targets for Elementary and Middle School – Advanced Level of Proficiency by Grade Span, Content Area, and Year
| Year | Elementary School | Middle School | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Math | Reading | Math | |
| *2002 | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| 2003 | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| 2004 | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| 2005 | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% |
| 2006 | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% |
| 2007 | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% |
| 2008 | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.21% |
| 2009 | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.21% |
| 2010 | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.21% |
| 2011 | 1.33% | 1.33% | 1.33% | 1.33% |
| 2012 | 1.33% | 1.33% | 1.33% | 1.33% |
| 2013 | 1.33% | 1.33% | 1.33% | 1.33% |
| 2014 | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% | 1.50% |
* Starting Point
Q: What are the sanctions for not making Adequate Yearly Progress?
For schools that do not receive Title 1 funding, the individual states will determine sanctions.
For Title 1 schools that fail to make AYP, the sanctions increase. After two years of failure to make AYP, the school is identified as "in need of improvement." Schools "in need of improvement" must develop a two-year plan for improvement. In addition, the district must offer public school choice and provide transportation to students who opt out of the school. After three years of failure to make AYP, the district must offer tutoring to students and the school must spend 10 percent of its Title I funds on professional development. Tutors are selected from an approved state list.
Q: What is corrective action and restructuring?
After four years of failing to make AYP, the school is placed on "corrective action" status. The district must do one of the following:
- Implement a new curriculum and train staff
- Significantly decrease management authority in the school
- Appoint an outside expert to advise the school
- Extend the school day or year
- Restructure the internal organization of the school
After five years, the school is placed on "restructuring" status. During the first year on restructuring the district must develop a comprehensive restructuring plan. The district must do one of the following:
- Replace most or all of the staff, including the principal
- Re-open the school as a charter school
- Enter into a contract for an outside management company to run the school
- Turn the school over to the state
Q: How does a school remove itself from the school improvement list?
Once adequate yearly progress is met for two consecutive years, the school is removed from the improvement or corrective action category.
Q: What is DPS doing to ensure annual yearly progress of students?
Among many steps, the district has:
- Instituted a scientifically-based literacy model
- Extended the school day beginning with the 2002-2003 school year
- Added literacy coaches to school staffs
- Started developing a consistent math program in grades 4-10
Q: What Denver Public Schools are on school improvement?
