Glossary

What Does It Mean?

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)—AYP is a formula, introduced in No Child Left Behind and approved by the State Board of Education, that is used to identify successful Title 1 schools as well as schools in need of improvement. It is also used in the new state accreditation system, Education YES!, where it will affect the grades given to all schools. A school is in “school improvement status” if it fails to make AYP for two consecutive years.

Additional Academic Indicators—Academic indicators are data points that, when coupled with other data points, provide a picture of how well students are doing. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requires all students, districts, and states to use “proficiency on state assessments” as one indicator of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). For high schools, it also requires the use of graduation rates. For elementary and middle schools, NCLB allows states to determine what “other” or “additional” indicator will be used. Michigan has chosen attendance rates as its additional academic indicator.

Alternate Assessment—An assessment used to measure the learning progress and performance of students with disabilities who are unable to participate in general education assessments (i.e., the MEAP in Michigan).

Assessment—Assessment is a broader word for “test.” Under No Child Left Behind, tests are aligned with academic standards. Since 1994, all schools have been required to administer tests in each of three grade spans: grades 3–5, grades 6–9, and grades 10–12. Beginning in the 2005–06 school year, tests must be administered every year in grades 3 through 8 in math and reading. Beginning in the 2007–08 school year, schools must also test science achievement in each of the three grade spans.

At Risk—A term applied to students who have not been adequately served by social service or educational systems and who are at risk of educational failure due to lack of services, negative life events, or physical or mental challenges, among others.

Corrective Action—When a Title I school or school district does not make Adequate Yearly Progress for four years in a row, the state places it under a corrective action plan. The plan includes resources to improve teaching, administration, or curriculum. If no progress is made then the state has increased authority to make necessary additional changes to ensure improvement.

Education Personnel—Anyone who works in contact with students, including paraprofessionals, classroom aides, teaching assistants, school secretaries, custodians, lunchroom staff, and parents, among others.

Education Professionals—State certified education professionals including teachers, administrators, school counselors, special education specialists, etc.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)—ESEA, which was first enacted in 1965, is the principal federal law affecting K–12 education. No Child Left Behind is the most recent reauthorization of the ESEA.

Limited English Proficient (LEP)—A student who has a primary or home language other than English who, because of limited proficiency in speaking, reading, writing, and understanding the English language, requires alternative programs or services to equally access the local education agency’s (LEA) total academic curriculum. For the Michigan Section 41 program, a student is termed LEP if he or she scores at or below the 40th percentile on a standardized English reading test, sub-test, or on a test of oral English language proficiency.

Local Education Agency (LEA)—An LEA is a public board of education, or other public authority within a state, that maintains administrative control of public elementary or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a state.

MEAS—State Board of Education approved Michigan Educational Assessment System comprised of the three state assessments: MEAP, MI-Access, and ELL-Access.

Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP)—In Michigan, the MEAP tests measure student progress in reading/language arts, math, science, and social studies. AYP will be calculated using MEAP math and reading/language arts tests for elementary, middle, and high school.

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)—NCLB is the most recent authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which is the principal federal law affecting K–12 education.

Proficiency—Proficiency is mastery or the ability to do something at a predetermined level.

Public School Choice—Students in Title I schools identified as needing improvement will have the option to transfer to a school within the district that makes AYP. The school district will be required to provide transportation for the students.

Restructuring—Title I schools not making AYP for six years in a row must follow one of the following restructuring options: reopen as a charter school; replace all or most of relevant school staff; contract with outside entity to operate school; state takeover; or any other major restructuring of school’s governance that makes fundamental reform.

Safe Harbor—“Safe Harbor” is a provision in No Child Left Behind intended for schools and districts that are making progress in student achievement but are not yet meeting target goals for Adequate Yearly Progress. It is designed to prevent the over-identification of schools not making AYP.

School Improvement Plan—The written school improvement plan for each school includes strategies for improving student performance in the targeted goal areas, taking into account the performance on multiple assessments; how and when improvements will be implemented; use of state funds; requests for waivers, etc. Each school improvement plan must be approved by the local board and may be in effect for no more than three years. The plans may be amended as often as necessary or appropriate.

Supplemental Services—Students from low-income families who are attending Title I schools that have been identified as needing improvement for two years will be eligible to receive outside tutoring or academic assistance. Parents can choose the appropriate services for their child from a list of state approved providers. The school district will purchase the services.

Title I—Title I refers to a federal funding program aimed at students who are behind academically or at risk of falling behind. Title I Part A funding provides assistance to improve the teaching and learning of children in areas with high economic needs; it is based on the number of low-income children in a school, generally those eligible for the free lunch program. Title I is intended to supplement, not replace, state and district funds.

Sources:

Adapted from the following sources: What to Know & Where to Go: Parents’ Guide to No Child Left Behind, compiled by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Secretary; MI-Access Handbook, Winter 2002, How to Understand, Interpret, and Use MI-Access Results, compiled by the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Early Intervention Services; and A New Era in Education, A Toolkit for Communicating about Adequate Yearly Progress under the No Child Left Behind Act, compiled by the Michigan School Public Relations Association.