Are there different rules for districts?
Yes. A district is identified as “needing improvement” if all of its grade spans (elementary, middle and high) do not meet AYP in the same column of the AYP matrix. The district still would not make AYP if any of its groups did not meet the AYP target, but it only advances to “improvement” status when all grade spans do not meet the target in the same column (e.g., math proficiency) in two consecutive years.