Making Sense
of NCLB and Education YES!
No Child Left Behind Overview
No
Child Left Behind (NCLB), signed into federal law by President
Bush in 2002, is having a tremendous impact on Michigan’s
public schools and schools across the country. The legislation
represents the largest ever involvement in K-12 education by the
federal government.
NCLB was designed around the idea that not all students are making
the academic progress they need to make in order to become successful
adults. The new law includes three key requirements: closing the
achievement gap for low-income students, minority students, and
students with disabilities; holding schools accountable for all
students performing at a high level; and having a “highly
qualified” teacher in every classroom.
NCLB strives for each student to be proficient in reading and
mathematics, as defined by each state, by the 2013-14 school year.
States will set incremental percentage goals based on 2001-02
data and identify what it will take to get to 100 percent proficiency
by 2013-14. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) made toward the 2013-14
goal will be measured in terms of student subgroups for a school,
district, or state. The same target goals will apply to all subgroups
in all schools across the state. Those subgroups are: 1) the school
as a whole; 2) white; 3) African American; 4) Native American;
5) Asian/Pacific Islander; 6) Hispanic; 7) multi-racial; 8) limited
English proficient; 9) students with disabilities; and 10) economically
disadvantaged students. If even one student subgroup in one subject
does not make its targeted goal, then the entire building is considered
as not making AYP.
NCLB and Michigan’s Education YES!
In addition to measuring schools according to standards set under
No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the State Board of Education
remains committed to Education YES! A Yardstick for Excellent
Schools, begun in 2001 in Michigan.
Both Education YES! and NCLB require reading and mathematics
assessments for students in grades 3-8. NCLB requires that students
in high school be tested at least once in reading and mathematics,
so Michigan will continue its testing of high school students
in all four subject areas (reading, mathematics, science, and
writing) at grade 11.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) will be
required of every state on a biennial basis beginning in 2002-03.
Michigan continues to participate in all NAEP sampling requests
and uses the tests as an indicator of student achievement.
Both Education YES! and No Child Left Behind hold
high standards for academic achievement as their cornerstone,
but they measure progress toward reaching that goal differently.
In Michigan, Education YES! takes into account more than a single
test on a single day. It is only fair to use multiple measures
to rate the quality of Michigan’s neighborhood public schools.
Source: Michigan Department of Education’s
Education YES! Report Card Guide and Tool Kit
For a more detailed explanation of NCLB and Education YES!, visit
www.michigan.gov/mde
and click on Michigan Department of Education’s Education
YES! Report Card Guide and Tool Kit
Learn More about NCLB Assessment
and Accountability Requirements
The Michigan Department of Education’s Assessment
and Accountability Web site is a central source of information
about the major areas that impact student performance and
school accountability. Visit www.michigan.gov/mde
and click on school assessment and accountability to access
the following informational links:
- No Child Left Behind
- Annual Report on NCLB Report Card
- MEAP and Standardized Tests
- Adequate Yearly Progress
- Education YES!
- State Assessment for Students with Disabilities
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