No Child Left Behind in GCPS
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No Child Left Behind in GCPS
The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law holds public schools accountable for student performance and for providing parents with options when schools do not meet high academic standards. In addition, the law provides that students who attend any school that has been designated under the law as “persistently dangerous” may transfer to another public school. Students who have been a victim of a violent crime at school also are eligible to transfer.

The federal law places schools that fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two or more consecutive years in “Needs Improvement” status. These schools must offer school choice-- giving students the opportunity to attend a higher-performing school--and certain NI schools will offer supplemental educational services, such as tutoring for eligible students.

In Georgia, AYP is determined by the Georgia Department of Education, using results from three state exams— the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) for elementary and middle schools, the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) for high schools, and the Georgia Alternate Assessment (GAA) for some special education students.

GCPS performance on state curriculum-based tests last spring yielded these results under NCLB:
--108 Gwinnett schools (99.1 percent) made “adequate yearly progress” (AYP) based on test scores and participation.
-- All Gwinnett elementary and middle schools made AYP in 2009.
-- Two Gwinnett schools-- Richards MS and Meadowcreek HS-- made AYP this year after not making it in 2008.
-- Three Gwinnett schools-- Sweetwater MS, Radloff MS, and Oakland Meadow School-- moved off the needs improvement list, having made AYP for two consecutive years.
-- Every school required to meet AYP in the following clusters made it: Archer, Berkmar, Brookwood, Central Gwinnett, Collins Hill, Dacula, Duluth, Grayson, Meadowcreek, Mill Creek, Mountain View, Norcross, North Gwinnett, Parkview, Peachtree Ridge, Shiloh, and South Gwinnett.
-- Three schools will offer choice and/or supplemental services during the 2009-10 school year.