Under the Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), if a Title I school does not make adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two years in a row, it is said to be “in need of improvement” and it must offer parents public school choice. Such schools must continue to offer school choice each year until they make AYP for two years in a row. Implementing the NCLB requirement depends on availability of other schools in the district that are making AYP and their capacity to add students to their enrollment.

If there are no qualifying schools in the district that can accept students, the district must try to make cooperating agreements with nearby districts that do have eligible schools. While a neighboring district is under no obligation to enter into a cooperative agreement, it may choose to, depending on a number of factors, including its enrollment capacity.

The No Child Left Behind Act provides parents the option to transfer their student to another public school within the district with transportation provided by the district. However, during the time periods noted below, we did not have a school within the district in which any students could transfer. We have contacted neighboring districts to request that they provide us with a school(s) we can offer as an option. No school district has agreed to do so during these school years. Where no viable School Choice is available, the school may move directly to Supplementary Educational Services during the first year of School Improvement for eligible students.

Section 1116(b)(5)(B) of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 stipulates that if a school fails to make Adequate Yearly Progress by the end of the first full school year after being identified for school improvement the Local Education Agency shall make free Supplemental Educational Services available to the students at that school. If School Choice is not available, the school may move directly to Supplementary Educational Services during the first year of School Improvement for eligible students. Districts may also offer Supplemental Educational Services in that first year if demand for Choice was not sufficient to use up the available funds.

The goal is to provide supplemental education support (SES) to eligible students who have demonstrated a need for assistance to master needed skills in Mathematics and Reading to achieve annual yearly progress (AYP) in state mandated ISAT testing. Only one school in our district, Riverwood Elementary School, has qualified for these services since 2009. Title I tutorial services have been available to eligible Riverwood School students during the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years. Data for the number of students that have been qualified for SES tutoring and those who participated in the program for the last three years is as follows:

Year

Number of Students that Participated

Total Number of Eligible Students

School

2009 - 2010

48

270

Riverwood

2010 - 2011

63

308

Riverwood

2011 - 2012

85

181

Riverwood