More than one-third of Oregon schools failed to reach federal performance targets this year, their worst showing under the six-year-old federal No Child Left Behind law.
Schools that failed to get enough of their students to pass state reading and math tests this year include more than 130 that had met all performance targets during the five previous years.
Under No Child Left Behind, performance targets for schools rise over time, and this year's higher demands -- to get about 60 percent of students to pass reading and math exams, up from about 50 percent last year -- tripped up a record number of Oregon schools, 434.
For now, most of those schools face no consequences.
But if schools fall short of the targets again next year, and if they accept federal money to help disadvantaged students, nearly 100 schools could be ordered to give their students priority transfer rights and free bus ride to attend a higher performing school.
To see how your school, or any public school in Oregon, measured up, go to The Oregonian's School Guide.
-- Betsy Hammond; email@example.com