Why Does My School Offer Free Transportation or Tutoring?
Schools Must Meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) Goals
The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires public schools that receive Title I funds to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goals each year. In order to meet the goals, each school must do the following:
1. Have 95% of students participate in CSAP reading and math tests.
2. Meet target goals for either testing at a certain level of proficiency or decrease non-proficiency rates in reading and math.
3. Meet target goals in elementary and middle school for a small percent of students to score at the “advanced” level on the CSAP. Meet target goals in high school for schools to reach a certain graduation rate.
To learn more about how AYP is calculated see the Colorado Department of Education AYP Web page.
Schools That Do Not Meet Adequate Yearly Progress Goal Must Make Changes to Increase Achievement
Failure to Meet Goals in Two Years: Offer Students Free Transportation to a Higher-Performing School in the District
If a Title I school fails to meet its AYP goals for two consecutive years, the school is placed in the “School Improvement” category. The school must develop a School Improvement Plan and offer its students free transportation to a higher-performing school in the district, if possible (some districts do not have higher-performing schools, or those schools may not have space for additional students).
Failure to Meet Goals in Three Years: Offer Low-Income Students Tutoring (Supplemental Educational Services)
If the school fails to meet AYP goals for three years in a row, low-income students at that school are eligible to receive free Supplemental Educational Services (such as tutoring).
Failure to Meet Goals in Four Years: Corrective Action to Address Problems at the School Level
Failure to meet AYP for a fourth year results in “Corrective Action.” The school district must do at least one of the following:
1. Replace school staff who are relevant to the failure to meet AYP goals.
2. Implement a new curriculum in the school and provide professional development for staff to teach the materials effectively.
3. Significantly decrease management authority at the school level.
4. Appoint an outside expert to advise the school about its progress toward meeting its goals.
5. Extend the school year or school day for the school.
6. Change the school’s internal organizational structure.
Failure to Meet Goals in Five Years: Complete Restructuring of the School
Five years of failing to meet AYP means the school must “restructure.” The school district must do at least one of the following:
1. Reopen the school as a public charter school.
2. Replace all or most of the school staff (which may include the principal) who are relevant to the failure to meet AYP goals.
3. Enter into a contract with an entity (such as a private management company) that has successfully operated other public schools.
4. Turn the operation of the school over to the state education department.
5. Make major fundamental changes, such as significant changes in the school’s staffing and governance.
Please see the Colorado Department of Education AYP Web page for more information.
“School Improvement” requirements mentioned above are part of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, as documented in Public Law 107-110, Part A, Subpart 1, Section 1116.