Educational Acronyms

Every profession has its own acronyms, abbreviations and short hand. Education is no different. Dr. Ken Wallace, District 207 Superintendent, has compiled a list of some of those commonly used in school settings.

Acronym	Term	Definition
ACT	American College Testing	College Entrance Exam to determine students’ preparedness for college
AYP	Adequate Yearly Progress	Measurement by which schools, districts and states are held accountable for student performance
ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act	Civil Rights law mandating rights and protections for people with disabilities
ADD	Attention Deficit Disorder	Disorder characterized by the inability to concentrate and in some cases, impulsiveness and hyperactivity
CHOICE	Choice	Reform movement focused on affording parents the right to choose which school their child attends
Differentiated Instruction	Differentiated Instruction	Teaching students at various levels of skill and knowledge within the same classroom
Disaggregated Data	Disaggregated Data	Examination of students’ achievement data or test scores by separating out data for specific groups
Dual Enrollment	Dual Enrollment	Courses allowing students to receive both high school and college credit simultaneously
ESEA	Elementary and Secondary Education Act	Act focuses on children from high-poverty communities and students at risk of educational failure
ESL	English as a Second Language	Instruction for English-language learners that focus on English immersion
ELL	English Language Learners	Students enrolled in U.S. schools who speak a language other than English and have not mastered English
E-Rate	Education Rate	Rate administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to pay for telecommunications services for K-12 schools and public libraries
FERPA	Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act	Federal law that protects the privacy of student records in schools receiving federal funding by requiring written permission to release educational data.
FAPE	Frree, Appropriate Public Education	Grants students with disabilities a "free, appropriate public education".
GPA	Grade Point Average	Calculation of students’ standings based on classes taken and grades received
Growth Models	Growth Models	An accountability system based on the academic growth students show from year to year
Higher Order Thinking Skills	Higher Order Thinking Skills	Skills that involve the ability to think and evaluate complex ideas
Highly Qualified Teachers	Highly Qualified Teacher	A teacher that is certified and has demonstrated proficiency in his/her subject matter
IDEA	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act	Grants handicapped students the right to a "free, appropriate public education
IEP	Individualized Education Program	Educational blueprint agreed on by parents and educators for a student with disabilities
Instructional Coach	Instructional Coach	Full-time/Part-time teacher who works with colleagues individually or in a group to improve teaching practices
IB	International Baccalaureate	Program of rigorous coursework and examinations based on internationally developed curriculum
LRE	Least Restrictive Environment Act	Mandate that a child with disabilities be educated in the regular classroom or least restrictive environment
LEP	Limited-English Proficient Students	Students enrolled in U.S. schools who speak a language other than English and have not mastered English
LEA	Local Education Agency	Local School Districts
LEF	Local Education Fund	Community-based advocacy organizations that work to engage the public in the mission of public schools
N-Size	N-Size	Number of children belonging to a subset…subgroup normally used to group students by test scores
NAEP	National Assessment of Educational Progress	National testing program administered by the National Center for Education in Reading, Math, Science, Writing, History & Geography
NCLB	No Child Left Behind Act	Measures designed to improve achievement and accountability in schools, including ensuring schools are making "adequate yearly progress" in student achievement as well as employing highly qualified teachers
OCR	Office for Civil Rights	Office that investigates discrimination complaints involving schools and students
P-16/P-20 Councils or Initiatives	P-16/P-20 Councils or Initiatives	Council or effort seeking to advise state governments and shape policy on how to integrate a student’s education beginning in pre-school through college
Peer Coaching	Peer Coaching	Two or more teachers working in collaboration and confidential fashion to improve each other’s practice
Performance Based Assessment	Performance Based Assessment	Method requiring students to perform hands-on tasks such as writing or conducting an experiment as an alternative to multiple-choice, machine scored tests
PLC	Professional Learning Community	Collaborative teams, usually teachers, working interdependently to improve learning for all students
PISA	Program for International Student Assessment	Standardized international science/mathematical exams by which achievement from various nations is compared
PSAE	Prairie State Achievement Exam	Measures the achievement of grade 11 students reading, mathematics, science, and writing.
RTI	Response to Intervention	Educational process of providing targeted, scientifically validated instruction in a student’s areas of weakness
Safe Harbor Provisions	Safe Harbor Provisions	Provides a second chance to schools by allowing schools credit for making adequate yearly progress as long as more students maintained/moved up in proficiency in the current year than in the preceding year
Scaffolding	Scaffolding	Metaphor to describe support that teachers (and in some cases peers) offer students when learning a new concept
School Choice	School Choice	Proposal that allows children to attend schools outside their local district boundaries
Scientifically Based Research	Scientifically Based Research	General team used to refer to studies that use randomized controlled trials or other very rigorous research
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973	Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973	Section of law the prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by agencies that receive federal funding
SEL	Social and Emotional Learning	School based program aiming to teach students to manage their emotions by practicing empathy, caring and cooperation
STEM	Science, Technology, Engineering and Math	Educational priority focusing on these subjects for business leaders and a growing cadre of American educators
SES	Supplemental Educational Services	Mandate where schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress three years in a row must offer supplemental, educational services , free tutoring to low income students in the district
Tenure	Tenure	Job security to teachers who have successfully completed a probationary period on the job
Title I	Title I	Federal government’s flagship aid program for disadvantaged students
Title IX	Title IX	Law that bars gender discrimination in education facilities that receive federal funds
Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Educational Act	Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Educational Act	Federal program created to make limited English-proficient students proficient in the English language
Value Added	Value Added	Statistical method for determining the impact of a teacher or school
Web 2.0	New generation of Internet Use	Term coined to reflect the new generation of Internet use
What Works Clearinghouse	What Works Clearinghouse	Online clearinghouse supported by the U.S. Department of Education
Wiki	Wiki	Internet site that allows anyone with access to it the ability to add or edit content on the site
Zero Tolerance Policy	Zero Tolerance Policy	Practices in place in some schools and districts that exact strict discipline in cases where students violate policies concerning weapons and drugs.

Maine Township High School 1131 South Dee Road Park Ridge, IL 60068|District Office: 847.696.3600