Under the program, each state sets benchmarks for what a child should know. According to the New York State Education Department, the state has set high standards for these purposes. The standardized tests assess the progress of students toward meeting those standards, with each school expected to make progress each year toward meeting the prescribed benchmarks.
Students in grade 3 through high school in New York are tested in English language arts and math on an annual basis. Results of these tests help identify which schools are achieving state goals, and which must improve.
If students at a Title 1 school do not show adequate progress in two successive years, that school is considered to need improvement and must take action to improve student performance. Schools that are designated as needing improvement, corrective action or restricting during the 2010-2011 school year are required to make Supplemental Educational Services available to their students. These schools must also offer Public School Choice. This means that parents are allowed to transfer their children to higher-performing schools in the same district.
Data gathered from annual test scores is published by the state of New York in the form of district and school report cards. The report cards demonstrate the achievements of all students in the school or district. They also show any achievement gaps that might be present among different groups of students in the school or district. These groups may include those based on economic background, race, ethnicity, English language proficiency and disability.