Reauthorizing No Child Left Behind: Facts and Recommendations Book

Preface iii

Figure xi

Executive Summary xiii

Acknowledgments xix

Abbreviations xxi

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

Objective and Limitations of This Report 3

What Are the Key NCLB Provisions? 4

Develop a Standards-Based System of Measures and Targets for Student Achievement 4

Identify Schools and Districts That Need Improvement 6

Provide Appropriate Assistance and Require Interventions to Stimulate School and District Improvement 7

Set Requirements for Highly Qualified Teachers 9

Provide Useful Information About School Performance and Teachers to Stakeholders 10

Organization of This Report 11

Chapter 2 How Did States Implement the NCLB Provisions? 13

How States Implemented Standards 13

Academic Content Standards 13

Academic Achievement Standards 14

Teacher Standards 15

How States Implemented Student Assessments 16

How States Implemented AYP Provisions 18

AYP Indicators 18

AYP Targets 19

Methods to Avoid Misclassifying Schools 21

Establishing Title III AMAO Targets 21

Conclusions 22

Chapter 3 How Did Districts and Schools Perform with NCLB in Place? 23

How Schools Did in Terms of Making AYP 23

Making or Not Making AYP 23

Which Schools Are More Likely Not to Make AYP 24

Why Schools Do Not Make AYP 25

Which Districts and Schools Were Identified for Improvement 26

The General Trends for Schools and Districts Identified for Improvement 26

Where Schools Identified for Improvement Are Concentrated 27

Reasons Schools Were Identified for Improvement 28

Are the Nation's Teachers Highly Qualified? 28

Conclusions 30

Chapter 4 How Did Education Stakeholders Respond to Improve Student Performance? 31

How Federal Funds Were Allocated and Used by Districts and Schools 31

Where Federal Funding Went 32

How Federal Funds Were Used 33

What Stakeholders Did to Improve School Performance 34

State and District Technical Assistance to Schools 34

School Improvement Activities 35

Implementing NCLB-Required Interventions for Schools 36

What Stakeholders Did to Improve District Performance 38

Enhancing Teacher Qualifications 40

Recruiting Highly Qualified Teachers 40

Retaining Highly Qualified Teachers 41

Improving the Quality of Existing Teachers 42

Teacher and Principal Responses to Implementing NCLB Provisions 43

How Information About NCLB Performance Assessments Was Provided to All Stakeholders 44

Timing of Reports on State Assessment Tests 45

Content of State Report Cards 45

Effectiveness of Communications with Stakeholders 46

Conclusions 46

Chapter 5 How Did Parents Respond to the Services Provided? 49

Public School Choice and SES Options 49

Availability of Options 49

Growth in Number of Eligible Students 50

Student Participation Rate 51

Communication with Parents About Options 51

Reasons for Participating in School Choice and SES 53

Implementing and Monitoring SES 53

Conclusions 54

Chapter 6 How Can NCLB Be Made More Effective? 55

Promote More-Uniform Academic Standards 56

Promote More-Uniform Teacher Qualification Requirements 57

Set More-Appropriate Improvement Targets 57

Broaden the Measures of Student Learning 58

Provide Incentives for Teachers to Teach in Low-Performing Schools 59

Allow for a More Flexible System of Interventions 59

Broaden Staff Development 60

Enhance School Choice 60

Commit More Resources to Developmental Activities 61

Appendixes

A Data Sources for This Report 63

B Abstracts of Reports 65

References 73