Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

The cornerstone of Maryland's new accountability system is Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). AYP replaces the School Performance Index (SPI) as the method by which Maryland tracks academic progress and makes accountability decisions. Schools, school systems, and the state must show that students are making AYP in reading, mathematics, and one additional measure. In elementary and middle schools, the additional measure is attendance. In high schools, the additional measure is graduation rate. In addition to student achievement in the aggregate (All Students), AYP must be made among eight subgroups of students: African American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, White, Limited English Proficient, Free and Reduced-Price Meals, and Special Education. Student progress in reading and mathematics is measured by the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) or for students with profound disabilities the Alternative Maryland School Assessment (ALT-MSA). The Maryland State Board of Education has set the performance standards of basic, proficient, and advanced for the Maryland School Assessment and the Alternative Maryland School Assessment.

"Highly qualified" is a specific term defined by No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The law outlines a list of minimum requirements both in content knowledge and teaching skills to meet the "highly qualified" status. The law requires teachers to have a bachelor's degree and full state certification and to demonstrate content knowledge in the subjects they teach. Under NCLB states decide what is necessary for certification and for determining subject-matter competency. Rules surrounding the requirements for highly qualified teachers continue to be developed and refined. For more information on the state requirements please go to: www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/divisions/certification. Additional information may be found on the School Improvement in Maryland Web site at http://www.mdk12.org, on the Maryland State Department of Education Web site at http://www.marylandpublicschools.org, and in the Using Maryland's High, Objective, Uniform State Standard Of Evaluation (HOUSSE) rubric on the Maryland Public Schools web site.