States Vie to Be Part of NCLB ‘Growth’ Pilot

U.S. offer of new leeway in gauging AYP sparking strong national response.

At least one-fifth of the states say they plan to apply for a pilot program that would let them use a measure of student growth over time to help determine whether schools and districts have met their annual achievement targets under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Many other states, moreover, appear eager—judging from their participation in recent conference calls and meetings on the topic—at least to explore the possibility of applying for the “growth models” pilot. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the program in November, following pressure from states and education groups. ( "U.S. to Pilot New Gauge of ‘Growth’," Nov. 30, 2005.)

Officials in Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Utah all told Education Week that they were planning to apply for the pilot initiative. The Department of Education released further guidance on the program, which has a Feb. 17 deadline for applications, on Jan. 27. As many as 10 states could take part after going...