Federal Legislation signed by President Bush on January 8, 2002

Legislative Focus on School Accountability

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB)

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) - Refers to a federal law that was passed in 2001, it affects all public schools in the United States. NCLB was passed with the aim of eliminating the achievement gap between groups of students, in order to bring all students (regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or income) to the “proficient level” on state standardized tests (ISTEP+) by the 2013-14 school year. To ensure that students are able to succeed; it holds states, schools, and districts accountable for student achievement. 

Title I

Title I is supplemental federal funding for low achieving students targeted to high poverty schools. The following schools are Title I buildings; Anderson Elementary, Erskine Elementary, Forest Hills Elementary, Tenth Street Elementary and Twenty-Ninth Street.  For the 2010-11 School Year, the following schools will be Title I buildings:  Anderson Elementary, Eastside Elementary, Erskine Elementary, 10th Street Elementary, Valley Grove Elementary, East Side Intermediate and North Side Intermediate Schools.

ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS (AYP)

Adequate Yearly Progress (1997-2001) = 5% gain on number of students meeting standards.

Adequate Yearly Progress (2002) – NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND = incremental gains leading to 100% of students meeting standards in 12 years.

Must disaggregate for subgroups (gender, special education, race and Limited English Proficient) and must test 95% of each subgroup

This process applies only to Title I Schools (Anderson Elementary, Erskine Elementary, Forest Hills Elementary, Tenth Street Elementary, Twenty-Ninth Street).  2010-11 School Year will apply to all Primary buildings and both Intermediate buildings.

2 years without Adequate Yearly Progress = Year 1 of School Improvement = School Choice offered to all students in the Title I school and Supplemental Educational Services (SES) = free tutoring offered to students receiving free/reduced lunch at the Title I school in improvement.  In other words, students may exercise CHOICE  and complete the CHOICE  form to attend and be transported to another school on the selected list or stay at the school in improvement and if receiving free or reduced lunches may receive Supplemental Educational Services.

 

For the 2010-11 School Year: 

Anderson Elementary will be in Year 5 of Comprehensive School Improvement (unless AYP is made this summer)- CHOICE schools will be Eastside Elementary and Valley Grove Elementary.

Erskine Elementary will be in Year 4 of Focused School Improvement (unless AYP is made this summer)-CHOICE schools will be Eastside Elementary and Valley Grove Elementary.

 

Title I Schools in Anderson Community Schools (ACS) for the 2010-11 school year

ANDERSON ELEMENTARY: Is a School Wide School (SWP) focusing Title I funds on all grade levels in the building (K-3). The school offers School CHOICE and Supplemental Educational Services (free tutoring). Anderson has additional Reading personnel. The school also offers Social Work Services. The school offers some full day every day Title I Kindergarten sections for those Kindergarten students most in need academically.  For more information, please contact Mr. Greg Kalisz at 641-2092 after August 1, 2010.

EASTSIDE ELEMENTARY: Is a Targeted Assistance School focusing Title I money on academically in need students in grades K-3. Additional Reading personnel and Social Work Services are offered. The school offers some full day every day Title I Kindergarten sections for those Kindergarten students most in need academically.  For more information, please contact Ms. Pat Cox at 641-2100.

ERSKINE ELEMENTARY: Is a School Wide School (SWP) focusing Title I funds on all grade levels in the building (K-3). Erskine offers School CHOICE and Supplemental Educational Services (free tutoring). The school also offers Social Work Services and has additional Reading personnel. The school offers some full day every day Title I Kindergarten sections for those Kindergarten students most in need academically.  For more information, please contact Mrs. Kara Miller at 641-2099 after August 1, 2010.

TENTH STREET: Is a School Wide School (SWP) focusing Title I funds on all grade levels in the building (K-3). Additional Reading personnel and Social Work Services are offered. The school offers full day every day Title I Kindergarten sections for those Kindergarten students most in need academically.  In addition, 10th Street was named an Opportunity School and will be working with the Indiana Department of Education on a Reading framework that will strive for 100% of students in grade 3 reading on or above grade level.  10th Street Elementary is also a model site for Minds in Motion, a kinesthetic program that coordinates fine and gross motor skills and stimulates cognitive development.   For more information, please contact Ms. Jennette Harris at 641-2103 after August 1, 2010.

VALLEY GROVE : Is a Targeted Assistance School focusing Title I money on academically in need students in grades K-3. Additional Reading personnel and Social Work Services are offered. The school offers a full day every day Title I Kindergarten section for those Kindergarten students most in need academically.   For more information, please contact Ms. Jan Koeniger at 378-3393 after August 1, 2010.

EAST SIDE INTERMEDIATE: Is a Targeted Assistance School focusing Title I money on academically in need students in grades 4-6. Additional Reading personnel and Social Work Services are offered.  For more information, please contact Mrs. Yvonne Ritchey at 641-2047.

 NORTH SIDE INTERMEDIATE: Is a School Wide School (SWP) focusing Title I funds on all grade levels in the building  (grades 4-6). Additional Reading personnel and Social Work Services are offered.  For more information, please contact Ms. Judi Ketring at 641-2055.

 

TITLE I PRESCHOOL

4 year olds in the Anderson Community Schools attendance areas are eligible for preschool at the Ebbertt  Wigwam Complex (1229 Lincoln Street), funded through Title I. This program is a half day program four days a week (Monday thru Thursday). For any questions on preschool, please contact the Title I office at 641-2148.

For more information, please review the following websites:

The Indiana Center for Family, School, and Community Partnerships- www.fscp.org

The No Child Left Behind Act- www.nclb.gov

Parents Left Behind: A study of state, federal and school district implementation of NCLB- http://www.acorn.org/acorn10/betterschools/BetterSchoolsReports/parents/main.pdf

Supplemental Educational Services (SES)

Title I schools in their first year of school improvement (not making AYP for 2 consecutive years) must provide “Supplemental Education Services” (SES). Supplemental Educational Services is free tutoring that is offered to all students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. During the 2008-2009 school year three Title I buildings qualified for SES- Anderson Elementary, Robinson Early Literacy Academy and Erskine. Anderson Elementary had 390 students qualified for SES. 249 requested SES and 207 received SES. Robinson Early Literacy Academy had 491 students qualified for SES. 208 students requested SES and 183 students received SES. Erskine had 531 qualified for SES. 133 requested SES and 90 students received SES.

For the current school year (2009-10), Anderson Elementary and Erskine Elementary are qualified to offer SES. Most of the services take place in the student’s school. The exceptions are the computer based programs and Indiana Algebra which offers tutoring at the Anderson Public Library. In 2009-2010 school year Erskine has 269 students qualified for SES and 117 are being served and Anderson Elementary has 365 students qualified for SES and 365 are being served.

If your child attends Anderson Elementary or Erskine Elementary and is a non-proficient student who receives free or reduced lunch he/she is eligible to enroll in this free tutoring program, known as Supplemental Educational Services (SES).  This program allows eligible students to receive free tutoring and academic assistance in subjects such as Reading, English, and/or Math, in effort to assist these students in improving their academic performance. These tutoring programs may be offered before or after the regular school day, on weekends, or in the summer.  If you are interested you may contact Pam Storm 765 641-2160 or email pstorm@acsc.net.  Or click on the SES Providers list link to select a provider and then click on the SES Tutoring Registration Form link.  After you have completed the registration form send it to Pam Storm via US mail Anderson Community Schools, 101 West 29th Street, Anderson, Indiana, 46016 or email pstorm@acsc.net.

The current list of providers are available via the SES Provider link.

Additional information about SES is also available on-line:

SES Provider Descriptions: http://mustang.doe.state.in.us/dg/ses/provider-list.cfm

Evaluations of SES Providers: http://mustang.doe.in.gov/dg/ses/Evaluations.cfm

SES Parent Information: http://mustang.doe.in.gov/dg/ses/parents.html

 

School Choice

If a Title I school does not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for 2 consecutive years (enter year 1 of school improvement), the school will notify the parents of the option of school choice.  In Anderson Community Schools for the 2010-11 school year, the Title I schools will be:  Anderson Elementary, Eastside Elementary, Erskine Elementary, 10th Street Elementary, Valley Grove Elementary, East Side Intermediate and North Side Intermediate.  For the 2010-11 school year, the only schools that qualify for  NCLB School Choice are Anderson Elementary and Erskine Elementary.   If a parent selects school choice their student will not be eligible for Supplemental Educational Services (SES)  (free tutoring) which takes place at the school in improvement for the students attending that specific school.  Because both elementary schools identified for school choice are Title I schools, they have, and will continue to have, additional services and funding available through federal and state grants for additional reading support and social work services. Parents who are happy with their current school and want their children to benefit from the services available will continue to send their children to their home school. Parents who want to exercise a choice will need to complete a “Parent Request for Choice” form and return it by June 28, 2010 to the Title I Office (101 W. 29th Street Anderson, IN 46016). Because of staffing and transportation, this deadline will be strictly enforced. Parents will be notified that their request is approved or denied within seven days of the start of the school year.

If Anderson Elementary or Erskine Elementary parents receive a letter notifying them of choice they may elect to transfer their child to one of two  schools in the district. Currently the two schools students may transfer to are Eastside Elementary and Valley Grove.  Parents will receive either their first choice or their second choice of eligible schools.  The district will try to give the parents their first choice.  The final decision will be based on such factors as classroom size.  After consideration of all factors a final decision regarding CHOICE school placement will be made and communicated to parents within seven days of the start of the school year.  The Anderson Community Schools will provide transportation until the child’s home school has made AYP, then the parent will be responsible to transport their child if they want the child to remain in the school of choice. 

Choice Information Statistics

School Year

Eligible Students in ACS

Participating Students in ACS

2007-08

1087

96

2008-09

1144

79

2009-10

1091

133

 

 

Any questions regarding NCLB, AYP or School Choice should be directed to Nancy S. Farley, Director of Title I, (765) 641-2148.

Schools currently with “School Improvement Status” :
Anderson Elementary and Erskine Elementary

For more information, see the Public School choice Non-Regulatory Guidance, D-8, at http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/schoolchoiceguid.doc

For more information on No Child Left Behind, contact:

Nancy S. Farley (765) 641-2148