NCLB/AYP
NCLB - No Child Left Behind and AYP - Adequate Yearly Progress
Many of you may have heard or read about the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, better known as "No Child Left Behind". "No Child Left Behind" is the name President Bush gave to the congressional act spelling out federal education spending for all elementary and secondary schools. The law was first approved in 1965 and is regularly reauthorized by Congress. The president signed the current reauthorization bill in January 2002. He called it "No Child Left Behind" to attract attention to changes in the law.
This law is different than federal spending plans in the past because it contains sanctions for schools and districts that don't make the academic progress spelled out by Congress known as "Adequate Yearly Progress".
Adequate Yearly Progress
The law requires schools, school districts and states to show that all students are making "Adequate Yearly Progress" (AYP) toward reading and mathematics achievement goals. By 2014, all public schools must have 100 percent of students meeting the state standards.
The state of Washington has established two ways to measure student achievement in order to meet these annual goals:
1) The Performance of third--fifth*, sixth--eighth*, and tenth-grade students on the yearly Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). (*This is recent change and means that schools are required to make AYP in more categories than the previous years using grades four, seven & ten. In most schools there are 25 different categories in which students must make AYP including English Learners and Special Needs students.)
2) The rate of unexcused absences or graduation rate.
If a School or District does not reach these annual goals for two consecutive years, it is designated by the state as being in "School or District Improvement".
District & Schools in "Improvement"
All of the schools in the Mount Vernon School District have been designated as in "Improvement" by the state. The Mount Vernon School District has also been designated as "In Improvement" by the state. The district and all schools have developed improvement plans which include focused curriculum, instructional and assessment goals along with professional development for the staff. Schools and the District have been identified as not making AYP in reading and mathematics. Schools and the District will remain in improvement until AYP is made for two consectuve years.
Public School Choice
We are required to let you know that you may request a transfer to a school that is not in improvement; however all schools in Mount Vernon are in improvement. You can discuss this further by contacting: Susan Davidson in the Curriculum and Assessment Office at 360-428-6110, Don Hanson, Federal Programs at 360-428-6110, or your building principal.
Supplemental Educational Services
Mount Vernon School District offers SES for elementary and middle school students for the school year 2010-11. Any students who are receiving free or reduced school lunch are eligible to apply for SES. Students with the greatest academic need in reading or math, based on their individual test scores, receive priority for SES. The application period is open until October 7. The Federal Title IA Funds received by the District support these services, and the funds provide SES for 200 students. It is recognized that the District receives more than 200 applications for these services. SES are provided by independent vendors of tutoring services, with vendors approved by the State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and contracted by the District. The services are provided outside of the scheduled school day. We applaud parents whose advocacy for their child’s education have prompted application for SES and we regret that the Federal Funds received by the District cannot meet the full demand for such services. If parents have questions about application for SES, please contact the Bilingual Advocate at the student’s school. Other questions or information about SES can be obtained by calling Don Hanson, Interim Director of Categorical Programs, at 360.428.6110.