How can state agencies help increase student achievement in schools and districts serving disadvantaged populations? This REL West brief examines the academic performance of Arizona schools receiving Title I funds in order to help the Arizona Department of Education revise its school support system.

The brief describes for years 2005/06-2008/09 the numbers and distribution of Arizona public schools and students across school levels (elementary, middle, high) for three school types:

  • Title I Schools in Improvement (participating in the school improvement program, a public program to improve the academic performance of students in schools not meeting adequate yearly progress for at least two consecutive years)
  • Title I Schools Not in Improvement
  • Non-Title I Schools

The brief also reports how Schools in Improvement are distributed across school improvement statuses, compares trends in reading and math proficiency for students attending each school type, and examines patterns of movement in and out of school improvement among Title I schools.

Information about the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) system and other REL publications can be found at the National Regional Educational Laboratory Program website.