Scores are a Tribute to Hard Work, but Federal Standards Dictate Even More

Continuous improvement is the mantra of today's classrooms. But even when you're trying your hardest and doing your best, the drumbeat of NCLB keeps reminding you, there's even more to do. That's the case with the September release of CT results connected with federal NCLB standards of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The bottom line on the new results: Students are generally performing better than last year on the statewide tests (CMT and CAPT). However, that improvement is not good enough for NCLB.

A hypothetical case demonstrates how NCLB targets are periodically increased, making it more challenging for schools to meet AYP as time goes on. Consider a school that, for CAPT reading, had 81 percent of its students at or above proficiency in 2010, and this year had 84 percent of its students at or above that level (a 3 percentage-point increase). That school would have failed to meet the AYP target of 2011 on the merits of these scores, even though they made AYP last year and its overall performance on the test improved.

NEA has been interacting with Washington officials to try and improve the law that's considered flawed. Read how here.

Resources

• 2011 Annual Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Reports
• Connecticut Public School Districts Not Making Adequate Yearly Progress
• Connecticut Public Schools Not Making Adequate Yearly Progress