Study of the Impacts of No Child Left Behind on Pennsylvania Schools

Sponsoring Agency: US Department of Education

Principal Investigator: Elliot Weinbaum, Jessica Beaver, Jonathan Supovitz (University of Pennsylvania)

This study examines the effects of school classification under No Child Left Behind on school improvement efforts and student achievement.

Rather than focus on generally low-performing schools as other research has done, this research focuses on schools that fail to meet adequate yearly performance (AYP) goals due to the performance of student subgroups. Identification of schools as “not meeting AYP” due to subgroup performance has been the subject of much political debate recently. Unfortunately, there is no research to describe the impacts that this event has on schools and students. By conducting this research beginning in the year after a large jump in proficiency requirements, we have the ability to document school responses and track achievement immediately following what is perceived by many to be a significant event in the life of a school.  We will study how school leaders respond to the designation of not meeting AYP, what reforms (if any) are introduced into schools following the designation, and the relationship of student performance to any subsequent reforms.