'Inadequate' Yearly Gains Are Predicted

By Lynn Olson

A large proportion of schools in every state could be identified as "needing improvement" under the new federal education law and could eventually be subject to penalties.

cAlthough estimates vary, state officials who have begun crunching the numbers predict that as many as three-fourths of their schools could fail to make their annual growth targets, or "adequate yearly progress," under the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

"It's going to really be a nightmare for states," predicted Cecil J. Picard, the state superintendent...