NCLB: Glossary
ABCs of Public Education
The ABCs of Public Education is North Carolina's accountability program, which is designed to improve student achievement, reward excellence, and provide assistance to schools that need extra help. The program measures student achievement by creating a weighted formula based on the End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests.
Achievement Levels
Student achievement on North Carolina's End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests is reported by achievement level. There are four achievement levels ranging from Level I to Level IV. Students must score at a Level III or Level IV to be considered performing at or above grade level under the ABCs and No Child Left Behind.
Accountability System
Each state sets academic standards for what every child should know and learn. Schools in North Carolina use the ABCs of Public Education as their accountability system. No Child Left Behind is the federal accountability system. Results of the annual End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests are used to measure school progress under both the ABCs and No Child Left Behind.
Adequate Yearly Progress: AYP
Whenever a school has 40 or more students in one of the following categories, they qualify as a subgroup: 1) White, 2) Black, 3) Hispanic, 4) Native American, 5) Asian/Pacific Islander, 6) Multiracial, 7) Economically Disadvantaged Students, 8) Limited English Proficient Students, and 9) Students with Disabilities.
To make AYP, a school and all its subgroups must achieve target scores - determined by the state - in reading and math. The school must test at least 95 percent of students in each subgroup.
Corrective Action
If a school does not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two years after being identified for School Improvement, the state will place that school under a corrective action plan for the third year. The plan could include replacing staff, implementing a new curriculum or restructuring the internal organization of the school. If the school continues to not meet AYP goals, then the state has increased authority to make any necessary, additional changes to ensure improvement.
End-of-Course Tests
End-of-Course tests are used to calculate each high school's performance on the ABCs. The state-developed standardized tests mandated at the high school level include: Algebra I; Algebra II; Biology; Chemistry; Economic, Legal and Political Systems; English I; Geometry; Physical Science; Physics and US History.
End-of-Grade Tests
End-of-Grade tests are used to calculate each school's overall performance as measured by the ABCs and No Child Left Behind. These state-developed standardized tests for grades three through eight are given in the final three weeks of the school year and are linked to the Standard Course of Study for each grade level. These tests measure student learning in reading and mathematics.
Highly Qualified Teacher
Under NCLB, a Highly Qualified teacher is one who has obtained full state teacher certification or has passed the state teacher licensing examination and holds a license to teach in the state; holds a minimum of a bachelor's degree; and has demonstrated subject area competence in each of the academic subjects in which he or she teaches.
Parental Involvement
All Wake County schools are encouraged to use a variety of methods to communicate with parents on a regular basis about their child's academic progress and other school activities. Parental involvement also includes ensuring that parents play an integral role in assisting their child's learning; that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their child's education at school; that parents are full partners in their child's education and are included, as appropriate, in decision making to assist in the education of their child.
Public School Choice
Title I schools that do not meet AYP goals for two consecutive years must offer multiple transfer options to all parents of students in those schools, and continue offering choices until the schools make AYP two years in a row. The district can't use crowding as a reason for not offering school choice.
WCPSS selects the schools for parents to choose from, but the receiving schools: 1) must not be identified for School Improvement, 2) must not be identified as persistently dangerous, 3) must have higher academic performance than the sending school. In addition, for this first year, a receiving school will be a traditional calendar school and will not be a new school.
School Improvement
When a Title I school fails to meet AYP for two years in a row, the school is placed under School Improvement. In the first and subsequent years of School Improvement, the school must provide students with reasonable transfer options to another of the district's public schools not in School Improvement. Transportation will be provided to the receiving school based on the availability of funding. Other sanctions apply in subsequent years if the school continues to fail to meet AYP.
Schools of Distinction
To be considered a School of Distinction, schools must have 80-89 percent of their students scoring at or above Achievement Level III on the ABCs of Public Education and also make expected or high growth.
Schools of Excellence
Schools of Excellence have 90-100 percent of their students scoring at or above Achievement Level III on the ABCs of Public Education and made expected or high growth.
Schools of Progress
Schools of Progress have 60-79 percent of their students scoring at or above Achievement Level III on the ABCs of Public Education and made high or expected growth.
Priority Schools
Priority Schools have 50-59 percent of their students scoring at or above Achievement Level III on the ABCs of Public Education. Also included in this designation are schools with less than 50 percent of students' scores at or above Achievement Level III, but that made expected or high growth.
Supplemental Services
If a Title I school in School Improvement fails to make AYP for two years in a row, WCPSS will be required to purchase outside tutoring services or academic assistance for students from low-income families. Parents will be able to choose the appropriate services for their child from a list of approved providers.
Title I School
A Title I school is one that receives federal Title I funds, which are used to support instructional programs (such as K-5 literacy and preschool), professional development and parental involvement. In Wake County, a school must have 35 percent or more children eligible for free or reduced-price lunch to qualify.
Transportation
WCPSS must provide transportation to schools receiving transfer students, spend up to 20 percent of the Title I budget (if needed), and give priority to the lowest achieving, low income students.
Targets for Meeting AYP
| First Year of Standard | Grades 3-8 (%) | Grade 10 (%) | ||
| Reading | Math | Reading | Math | |
| 2002-03 | 68.9 | 74.6 | 52 | 54.9 |
| 2004-05 | 76.7 | 81 | 64 | 66.2 |
| 2007-08 | 84.5 | 87.3 | 76 | 77.5 |
| 2010-11 | 92.2 | 93.7 | 88 | 88.7 |
| 2013-14 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Note: 2003-04 targets are the same as 2002-03 goals.