Adequate Yearly Progress
NCLB requires that 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.
Guidance, Regulations, Legislation, and Announcements
Guidance
Non-Regulatory Guidance, LEA and School Improvement (PDF)
Offers specific information on adequate yearly progress in sections A1-A9.
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.
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 Departmenttogether with parents, educators and state and local policymakersis 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.
Peer Review Guidance for the NCLB Growth Model Pilot Applications (Word)
Regulations
Final Regulation, Title IImproving The Academic Achievement Of The Disadvantaged
For specific information on adequate yearly progress, refer to pages 71716-71719.
Legislation
Announcements
Deputy Secretary of Education Discusses Need for Better Graduation Rate Data (July 2005)
Secretary of Education Letter on Adequate Yearly Progress (July 2002)
Secretary of Education Letter on Denying Retroactive Recalculation of AYP (April 2004)
Related Resources from SchoolsMovingUp
Webinars
The Path to AYP: Best Practices and Research-Based Tools for NW Schools
Tips to Go
Articles
Penalizing Diverse Schools? Similar test scores, but different students, bring federal sanctions
What New "AYP" Information Tells Us About Schools, States, and Public Education (PDF)
The ABCs of "AYP": Raising Achievement for All Students
Graduation Counts: A Report of the NGA Task Force on State High School Graduation Data
Turning Around Chronically Low-Performing Schools: A Practice Guide
Useful Links
The Facts About Making Gains Every Year
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. Developed by the US Department of Education
The Facts About Measuring Progress
Describes 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. Developed by the US Department of Education.
Testing: Frequently Asked Questions
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. Developed by the US Department of Education.
Accountability and Adequate Yearly Progress
Provides key information on accountability and adequate yearly progress from the National Title I Directors' Conference (February 2003).
From WestEd.org
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- Leadership Institute in Reading Apprenticeship
- National Academy for K-12 Science and Mathematics Education Leadership
- Understanding Science: K-8 Leadership Academies
From WestEd.org
Improving Districts: Systems That Support Learning

How can a school district positively impact achievement in all its schools — even those most challenged? This summary report was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education from a research study of nine award-winning districts.
