New law worries even top schools
No Child Left Behind act sets strict standards; districts must meet every one of them
The Denver Post

By George Merritt and Monte Whaley
Denver Post Staff Writers

Even with five schools named as National Blue Ribbon Schools and two others on Newsweek magazine's list of the best in America, Littleton Public Schools will likely come up short of requirements set by the federal No Child Left Behind act.

"We had 15 National Merit Scholars last year," said Littleton schools superintendent Stan Sheer. "Ninety-two percent of our students go to college. We have a less than 1 percent dropout rate, and we score in the 95th percentile on the CSAPs and SATs.

"We are not going to pass Adequate Yearly Progress," he said.

Part of the No Child Left Behind act, Adequate Yearly Progress is the standard that defines annual academic requirements schools and districts must meet.

Scores essentially are based on re-classified CSAP scores, on participation in the tests and on graduation rates.