What is AYP and how do you meet it?

Schools may achieve a rating of “Meets AYP” or “AYP Not Met”.  AYP stands for “adequate yearly progress”, and refers to the federally-mandated goal that all students demonstrate proficiency in reading and math by the year 2014.  The academic data is reported in terms of the percentage of students the state finds demonstrated proficiency on the new tests in mathematics and reading. 

In order for a school to meet AYP, ALL of the following criteria must be met.  If a school fails to meet any one of the 37 data points set down in the criteria, the school is rated “AYP Not Met.”

• All students in the school, and students in each of eight “subgroups” [Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific, Native American, English-Language Learners (ELL), special ed students, and students qualifying for free and reduced lunch benefits (FRLP)], must meet the state’s targets for percent testing proficient or above in reading and math
• A minimum of 95% of students in the school and 95% of students in each subgroup must take the tests.  This is called “participation rate.”

Finally, elementary and middle schools must meet attendance targets, and high schools must meet graduation rate targets.

WHEN “FAILING” ISN’T FAILING -- TRUTH IN LABELING
Making AYP is an “all or nothing” proposition. Getting 100% is getting an “A” -- a “Meets AYP” designation. Anything 99.99% and below else is an “F” -- “AYP Not Met”.

The problem with this “pass-fail” system is that it doesn’t provide an accurate picture of how a school is doing. A school that misses making AYP in just one area gets the same label, “AYP Not Met,” as a school that misses making AYP in 15 areas. There may be big differences in the quality of the schools, but you wouldn’t know it just from looking at the label.

We hope you will take the time to look at all of the data to get a clear picture of how our schools are really doing (2008). Despite the negative labels, we are proud of the overall performance of our Rio Rancho schools and students.

WHY DID SOME SCHOOLS NOT MAKE AYP?
The comments below are based on preliminary results that are under review. In the past, such reviews have resulted in some schools’ ratings being changed to “Meets AYP.”

• Two schools, Enchanted Hills Elementary and Maggie Cordova Elementary, made AYP.
• All schools made AYP for the additional indicator: graduation rates for high schools, and attendance rates for middle and elementary schools.
• The following schools did not make AYP for students with disabilities in reading: Colinas del Norte, Ernest Stapleton, Martin Luther King, Jr., Puesta del Sol, Rio Rancho ES, and Vista Grande Elementary Schools, all Rio Rancho middle schools, Rio Rancho Mid-High, and Rio Rancho HS.
• The following schools did not make AYP for students with disabilities in mathematics: Colinas del Norte, Puesta del Sol, and Rio Rancho Elementary Schools, Eagle Ridge and Lincoln Middle Schools, Rio Rancho Mid-High, and Rio Rancho HS.
• Puesta del Sol Elementary did not make AYP in reading for economically-disadvantaged students.  Because a high percentage of students at Puesta fall into this category, the school also did not make AYP for all students in reading.
• Rio Rancho High School did not make AYP for English-language learners in reading and math, or for economically-disadvantaged students in reading.

Rio Rancho’s two small high schools, the Rio Rancho Cyber Academy and Independence High School, did not make AYP for all students in mathematics (because their ethnic and socioeconomic subgroups are so small, they are not rated).  Both schools made AYP in all other rated areas, a significant improvement over last year.

WHAT IS A “SCHOOL IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT,” AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
When a school fails to meet AYP for two consecutive years, regardless of the reason, it becomes designated as a “school in need of improvement.”  The following Rio Rancho schools fall into this category: Ernest Stapleton Elementary, Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary, Puesta del Sol Elementary, Eagle Ridge Middle School, Lincoln Middle School, Rio Rancho Mid-High School, Rio Rancho High School, Independence High School, Rio Rancho Cyber Academy.

If you have questions about your child’s or school’s test results, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher or the school principal. They will be glad to work with you and your child to help you understand the results and apply them to help your child achieve academic success.