Adequate yearly progress, abbreviated AYP, is the system of determining which schools made the grade and which did not under the No Child Left Behind Act. In general, states create tests tied to their curriculum content standards and set goals for each grade to make adequate yearly progress. Every few years, the bar is raised a little higher, with the ultimate goal of having all schools passing the state tests. The process is complicated, with exceptions and nuances that principals must learn thoroughly.
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