AYP Standards

If a school fails to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress standards that No Child Left Behind calls for the school faces many possible setbacks. For instance, if a school does not meet these AYP standards for two consecutive years the school is required to create an improvement plan for the upcoming year that includes teacher mentorship programs and specialized tutoring. If the school fails for three consecutive years they are required to provide supplemental educational services to their students. Moreover, if a school misses AYP standards four years in a row the district takes control and replaces staff, implements a new curriculum, appoints outside experts to advise the school, and also extends the school year or school day. Ultimately if the school does not meet the AYP standards five consecutive years the school is shut down and reopened as a charter school with a completely new staff including the principal.

These consequences for missing AYP standards put a ton of pressure on teachers and staff in schools. Because there is so much stress involved with teaching under No Child Left Behind, teachers turn to different options to try to meet the standards. For example, teachers have developed techniques like teaching to the test, a technique that focuses more on the material that will be tested instead of the information that the students should know. These techniques take away from actual learning and proves to be detrimental to the classroom.

Teaching to the test is one of the worst things that NCLB has caused in schools. Teachers even know that they are doing it but they don't stop because they are too worried about losing their jobs. In an article from the New York Times, a high school teacher named Becky Karnes reported that she recently learned new techniques to teach her students. When asked if she would use them she responded by saying, "Oh, no, There's no time to do creative writing and develop authentic voice. That would take weeks and weeks. There are three essays on the state test and we start prepping right at the start of the year. We have to teach to the state test." Becky Karnes is a perfect example of how AYP standards and NCLB have hurt the public school system in America.

The AYP standards need to be addressed to make the law more suitable for all schools. For example, if a school is performing at a high level they are still required to show progress every year. This makes it very difficult for the schools that are actually doing a good job with preparing their students. Also, the schools that are struggling obviously need help. If the schools continue to fail they should receive extra funding to make sure they can provide extra tutoring to their students.