No Educator Left Behind is a series providing answers from the U.S. Department of Education to questions about the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how it will affect educators. If you have a question about No Child Left Behind, send an e-mail to Ellen Delisio, and we will submit your question to the Department of Education.

QUESTION:

What are school improvement, corrective action, and restructuring?

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

Schools that have not made state-defined adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two consecutive school years will be identified by the district as in need of improvement before the beginning of the next school year. Immediately after identification, these schools will receive additional funding and/or technical assistance to improve performance; they are not punished.

These schools will develop a two-year plan to turn around the school, and will give all students in the school the option to transfer to another public school within the district that has not been identified as a school in need of improvement. These schools would also be eligible to receive federal funds for school improvement activities.

If the school does not make AYP for three consecutive years, the school remains in school improvement and the district must continue to offer public school choice to all students in the school in need of improvement and provide low-achieving, disadvantaged students within the school supplemental services from a state-approved provider of their choice.

If the school does not make AYP for four consecutive years, the district must implement certain corrective actions to improve the school, such as replacing certain staff or fully implementing a new curriculum, as well as continuing to offer public school choice and provide supplemental services. A school can only be deemed as needing corrective action if that school has not made adequate yearly progress for four consecutive years.

If a school does not make AYP for five consecutive years, it would be identified for restructuring and would have to develop a plan and make the necessary arrangements to implement significant alternative governance actions, state takeover, the hiring of a private management contractor, converting to a charter school, or significant staff restructuring. Public school choice and supplemental services continue to be required.

Read previous questions and answers in our No Educator Left Behind archive.