States Hoping to ‘Grow’ Into AYP Success

Federal Officials Are Considering Alternatives for Measuring Progress

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has indicated she may be open to new ways of measuring school progress, known as “growth” models, under the No Child Left Behind Act. But state officials are still unsure what the federal government might find acceptable.

In a speech last month, Ms. Spellings said the federal Department of Education would convene a panel of experts to consider ways of allowing states to incorporate that kind of gauge into their accountability systems. ( "States to Get New Options on NCLB Law," April 13, 2005.)

Unlike the current setup, which requires states to set and schools to meet annual targets for the percent of students who are rated “proficient” or higher on state reading and math tests each year, growth models give schools and districts credit for increasing student achievement, even if they have not yet...