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 does the No Child Left Behind Act require from states and school districts regarding "report cards" on school performance?

U.S. Department of Education:

Starting with the 2002-2003 school year, state test results will be reported to the public annually in order to hold schools accountable for improving the academic achievement of each student.

School districts must prepare reports for parents and the public on the academic achievement of all schools combined and of each school. The school district report cards will include the same information in the state report card. In the case of an individual school, the report card will include whether the school has been identified for school improvement and how its students performed on the state test compared to other students in the school district and the state as a whole.

The report cards will include

• Student academic achievement on statewide tests, disaggregated by subgroup.
• A comparison of students at basic, proficient, and advanced levels of academic achievement Those levels are determined by each state.
• High school graduation rates -- the number of students who drop out of school.
• The number and names of schools identified for improvement.
• The professional qualifications of teachers.
• The percentages of students not tested.

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