The US Department of Education has granted Pennsylvania a waiver to NCLB (No Child Left Behind). The waiver puts an end to AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), replacing it with a new accountability system.
Title 1 schools – schools with a high percentage of low income students – will receive one of three federal designations, Reward, Priority or Focus, based on the following four “Annual Measureable Objectives”:
- test participation
- graduation/attendance rate
- closing the achievement gap for ALL students
- closing the achievement gap for “historically low performing students” (defined as students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, English language learners)
A number of interventions, defined by PDE (PA Department of Education), will be available for Priority and Focus schools.
Non-Title 1 schools will not receive a federal designation but will receive a School Performance Profile score. If necessary, non-Title 1 schools will also have access to the same interventions as Title 1 Priority and Focus schools. The School Performance Profile will be accessible to the public, another way to ensure accountability to all stakeholders. For more detailed information on the waiver, visit: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/federal_programs/7374/p/1433522
No comments yet.