The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) required states and school districts to produce and disseminate annual school report cards. This requirement continues under the Massachusetts flexibility waiver. On September 23, 2011, the U.S. Department of Education invited state educational agencies to request flexibility regarding NCLB requirements on behalf of itself, its districts, and schools, in order to better focus on improving student learning and increasing the quality of instruction. Massachusetts' flexibility request was granted on February 9, 2012.
These report cards include information on student assessment, accountability, and teacher quality; the report cards may also include other information. They also provide parents and other members of the public a snapshot of student performance and teacher qualifications in their local schools.
