Adequate Yearly Progress

A cornerstone of the NCLB Act is setting high standards and holding schools and districts accountable for ensuring that every child achieves to those standards. Under the law, states define measures for each school and district to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward the goal of all their students meeting state standards by the 2013-14 school year. Schools and districts must demonstrate that each statistically significant subgroup of students: economically disadvantaged, English learners, students with disabilities, and students in major racial and ethnic subgroups meets its adequate yearly progress target. AYP targets are set for reading and mathematics (science will be added), 95% participation rates in state tests, high school graduation rates, and at least one additional indicator established by the state.

Guidance, Regulations, Legislation, and Announcements

Guidance

Non-Regulatory Guidance, Alternate Achievement Standards for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (Word)
Provides States with detailed information about how best to use and implement alternate achievement standards.

Non-Regulatory Guidance, LEA and School Improvement (PDF)
For specific information on adequate yearly progress, refer to sections A1-A9.

Peer Review Guidance for the NCLB Growth Model Pilot Applications (Word)

Secretary of Education Key Policy Letter on Addressing Accountability Provisions to Displaced Students of Hurricane Katrina and Rita (September 2005)

USDE: NCLB—A Road Map to State Implementation
This U.S. Department of Education publication is a user-friendly guide to help navigate the road ahead in education reform. It describes ways the Department—together with parents, educators and state and local policymakers—is making NCLB work for students and educators. The law sets the same requirements for all states, while recognizing that the paths they take to get there will vary. The road map breaks down a 670-page law into clear principles for success, and it recaps and frames how states have adapted those principles to raise student achievement. For specific information on adequate yearly progress, refer to pages 7-16.

Regulations

Final Regulation, Title I—Improving The Academic Achievement Of The Disadvantaged
For specific information on adequate yearly progress, refer to pages 71716-71719.

Legislation

Final Legislation, Public Law print of PL 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; TITLE I, Sec. 1111 (b)(2)(B)- IMPROVING BASIC PROGRAMS OPERATED BY LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES

Announcements

Calculating Participation Rates: Flexibility When Making Adequate Yearly Progress Determinations (May 2004)

Secretary of Education Letter on Denying Retroactive Recalculation of AYP (April 2004)

Secretary of Education Issues New Policy for Calculating Participation Rates Under No Child Left Behind (March 2004)

Additional Guidance Offered to States to Help Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (March 2004)

Secretary of Education Letter on Adequate Yearly Progress (July 2002)

Deputy Secretary of Education Discusses Need for Better Graduation Rate Data (July 2005)

Secretary of Education Letter on State Pilot Projects on Growth Models for Measuring School Accountability (November 2005)

Secretary of Education Releases Growth Model Pilot, Addresses Chief State School Officers' Annual Policy Forum in Richmond (November 2005)

Other Resources

Useful Links

Accountability and Adequate Yearly Progress
Presentation from the National Title I Directors' Conference (February 2003) on accountability and adequate yearly progress.

Testing: Frequently Asked Questions
This U.S. Department of Education web site provides answers to frequently asked questions about how testing helps teachers and principals, how parents can find out if their child's school uses test results to improve teaching and learning, what subjects will be covered in tests, and other answers to questions about testing.

The Facts About Making Gains Every Year
This fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Education details how No Child Left Behind sets clear goals and timeframes, gives parents information on academic achievement, and provides choices if their child's school continues to be identified as in need of improvement.

The Facts About Measuring Progress
This fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Education details how testing supports improved student achievement and explains that No Child Left Behind requires testing every child in grades 3-8 and giving parents report cards for every school so they may be informed of schools' progress.