Making AYP: The Game (New! 2005 Pennsylvania Edition)

Schools and school districts across the country are under pressure to show that student performance on standardized tests is improving. Much of this pressure is based on the idea that clear expectations, combined with sanctions for poor performance, will motivate educators and students to try harder and do better. The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the most comprehensive expression of this pressure. NCLB sets performance targets that schools and districts must meet–referred to as ‘Adequate Yearly Progress’ (AYP.) This poster is designed as a game to help educators and the public better understand Pennsylvania’s interpretation of federal AYP requirements. It offers a glossary of key terms and a step-by-step visual and textual explanation of how schools can determine if they met each of their AYP targets, and their AYP status. This poster is an updated version of the 2004 edition, and reflects policy changes made since then including: the incorporation of the Pennsylvania Performance Index (PPI) into the appeals process; the introduction of a ‘Corrective Action 2, 3rd year’ school improvement status; and a change in which schools decline in status only if they miss the SAME AYP targets as were missed in previous year.