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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The U.S. Department of Education has issued a warning to Utah schools: stop using averaged test scores to meet the passing requirements for the federal No Child Left Behind law.
At least 32 Utah schools used three years of averaged scores to pass the latest round of NCLB.
Federal regulators do allow schools to use averaged scores, but most approve the use in advance. Utah doesn't currently have that permission, said Chad Colby, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education.
No Child Left Behind requires all students to exhibit reading and math proficiency by 2014. Districts report each school's progress annually and the law sanctions low-income schools that failed to make progress.
In fall 2007, 256 Utah schools failed to meet annual yearly progress benchmarks. But that number shrunk after some appealed their status by averaging three years of test scores.
In Davis County, for example, seven schools passed NCLB on appeal using averaged test scores. Davis Superintendent Bryan Bowles said he'll direct school not to use averaging in the future.
The Utah State Office of Education believes part of NCLB law puts the test score decision in the hands of local school administrators.
"The piece that is so important, that we feel so very strongly about, is the decision is made at the local level," said Judy Park, a state associated superintendent. "The local (superintendents) ... are the ones that have the right (under the law) to determine the appeal."
Utah was conditionally approved for averaging back in 2003, but removed it from the state's set of set of rules for NCLB without explanation in 2005.
It's unclear if the score averaging could result in federal sanctions for Utah.
To date, no investigation has been launched, nor any wrongdoing identified. But federal regulators could expedited regular monitoring of Utah or investigate if a formal complaint is lodged, Colby said.
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Information from: The Deseret Morning News
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
