ADDITIONAL NCLB INFORMATION

Explanation of School Improvement

Any school that fails to meet state targets or Adequate yearly Progress (AYP) for one year is considered in Warning and is not identified for School Improvement. However, when the school fails to meet targets for two years in a row the school must be identified as a school in need of improvement and given the designation of School Improvement I. For each successive year that a school does not make AYP, the school advances to another level of school improvement. For example, a school that is in School Improvement I that fails to make AYP will be identified as School Improvement II. A school that fails to make AYP for the fourth year is listed in Corrective Action I and for the fifth year, Corrective Action II.

If a school makes AYP at any point after being identified in School Improvement, the school will not advance to the next level. The status is defined as Making Progress and still considered in School Improvement at the same level as the previous year. If the school makes AYP for the second consecutive year the building is no longer in school improvement. On the other hand if the school misses AYP after a year of Making Progress the school proceeds to the next designated level of School Improvement.

Comparison of New Hope Academy Charter School with other schools in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Department of Education tracked statewide gains in student achievement between 2002 and 2011 in reading and mathematics for the following subjects and grades:

Reading

At Grade 8 the school had a gain of 0 percentage points compared to a statewide gain of 0.5percentage points.

Mathematics

At Grade 8 the school had a gain of 0 percentage points compared to a statewide gain of 1.9 percentage points.

What are Supplemental Educational Services?

Supplemental Educational Services (SES) are extra academic services available in schools identified for School Improvement II or Corrective Action. Free tutoring is offered after school or on Saturday to help eligible students to improve in reading, mathematics and science.

How Parents and Families Can Help Improve Student Achievement

Your support is not only essential to your child’s success, but to the success of the school as well. Under NCLB, parents are to be involved in the school improvement process and to help write the school’s School Plan. This is the plan to help raise the student achievement of all children in the school. Parents also have the right to help create or update the school’s parent involvement policy and the home-school compact. You can contribute to your child’s academic success by ensuring that your child attends school regularly, comes prepared to learn and completes all homework. Please plan to attend the Title I and Parent School Community Council meetings to obtain more information about school improvement activities and parent engagement opportunities at your child’s school.