Release: #05-12
September 20, 2005

Contact: Pam Slater
E-mail: communications@cde.ca.gov
Phone: 916-319-0818

SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today released the list of California schools and local educational agencies (LEAs) entering, remaining in, or exiting from Program Improvement (PI) under the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

For the 2005-06 school year, the total number of schools in PI is 1,772. One hundred twenty-one schools exited PI based on 2004 and 2005 data and 320 California schools were newly identified for a net increase of 199 schools.

"While these results can be useful as a potential warning sign for our schools, it’s important to recognize that many of the schools in Program Improvement are in fact making good progress in student achievement," said O’Connell. "I was also encouraged to see that more than twice as many of our schools exited Program Improvement this year compared to last year."

Of the 1,772 schools in PI, 414 are in Year 1, 545 are in Year 2, 409 are in Year 3, 155 are in Year 4, and 249 are in Year 5. A number of schools that were identified as PI last year have closed or are no longer receiving Title I funds. As a result, these schools are no longer in PI.

Schools entering PI for the first time in 2005-06 did not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same content area (English-language arts or mathematics) or on the same indicator (Academic Performance Index or graduation rate). Once identified as being in PI, a school advances for each year it does not make AYP. Schools exit PI by making AYP for two consecutive years.

Only schools and districts receiving federal Title I funds may be identified for PI. Schools are subject to a range of requirements and local interventions if they fail to meet improvement benchmarks under NCLB. For instance, all schools identified as being in PI must offer choice for their students to attend another school in the district that is not designated as being a PI school and must provide paid transportation.

 Because PI designation does not go beyond Year 5, ten schools that were Year 5 in 2004 and missed AYP in 2005 will remain in Year 5 status for the 2005-06 school year. NCLB is silent on any course of action after Year 5.

Under NCLB, LEAs (school districts and county offices of education) have primary responsibility for intervention and providing technical assistance to PI schools.

However, for those schools in Years 3, 4, and 5, the California Department of Education will be sponsoring a series of trainings to help LEAs and their PI schools examine where there may be gaps or deficiencies in their programs.

 “We will work with districts to help them determine what types of local corrective actions and assistance might help address these deficiencies, and then share effective programs with schools and districts throughout the state,” said O’Connell.

After the trainings are provided, California’s Statewide System of School Support, delivered in part through the county offices of education, will be available to provide follow-up assistance to these districts and schools.

There are 5,887 Title I schools in the state. Overall, 30 percent of California Title I schools are in PI this year as compared to 28 percent in 2004.

It is important to remember that the achievement targets under NCLB increased significantly in 2004-05. PI schools showed significant improvement under the state accountability system; 65 percent of schools in PI met their API schoolwide growth target compared to 48 percent in 2004.

More information about the interventions for each PI year may be found at: Program Improvement (PI) - Title I, Part A - Accountability.

NCLB also requires each state to identify LEAs for PI. An LEA receiving Title I Part A funds is identified for PI when, for each of two consecutive years the LEA does not make AYP in the same content area and each grade span (grades 2-5, grades 6-8, and grade 10) in the LEA does not meet AYP criteria in the same content area, or an LEA does not make AYP on the same indicator. More information on the criteria for identifying LEAs for PI can be found in the 2005 Accountability Progress Report Information Guide at: Information Guide (PDF; 615KB; 101pp.).

For the 2005-06 school year, seven school districts and three county offices of education were newly identified as being in PI, bringing the total number of LEAs to 152. Based on an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, the 142 LEAs that were identified for PI in the spring of 2005 will continue to implement Year 1 PI requirements for the 2005-06 school year. Thus, all 152 LEAs identified for PI are in Year 1. The list of LEAs newly identified for PI is attached to this release.

Information on the PI status for a specific school or LEA can be found under the "PI Report" tab in the 2005 Accountability Progress Report that can be accessed at AYP Reports.

Downloadable data files that provide a complete list of schools and LEAs identified for PI can be found at: Title I Program Improvement Status Data Files - Adequate Yearly Progress.

In addition, updated 2005 Accountability Progress Reports were released on September 13, 2005. The updated reports include "safe harbor" calculations for LEAs, schools, and student subgroups. In order to make safe harbor an LEA, school, or subgroup must show a reduction in the percentage of students performing below proficient by at least 10 percent from the preceding school year. As a result of safe harbor, 453 additional schools and 59 additional LEAs went from not making AYP to making AYP.

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Attachments

Program Improvement Schools

Year	Advanced	Remain	Total
Year 1	320	94	414
Year 2	480	65	545
Year 3	390	19	409
Year 4	137	18	155
Year 5	239	10*	249
Total	1,566	206	1,772

*The federal NCLB Act does not allow for a PI designation beyond Year 5. The ten schools remain in Year 5 have been identified for PI for six years.

Program Improvement Local Educational Agencies

Year	Advanced	Remain	Total
Year 1	10	142	152

Local Educational Agencies Identified for PI in 2005-06

LEA	County
Burton Elementary	Tulare
Cabrillo Unified	San Mateo
Chatom Union Elementary	Stanislaus
Escondido Union Elementary	San Diego
Healdsburg Unified	Sonoma
Kern Co. Office of Education	Kern
Lake Elsinore Unified	Riverside
North Sacramento Elementary	Sacramento
Orange Co. Office of Education	Orange
San Diego Co. Office of Education	San Diego