The state recently released its adequate yearly progress reports, and Bedford’s schools passed in every category.

Students across the state in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 were administered the NECAP test in fall 2007. Students’ progress at the school and district level is measured based on the results, and students are broken into different subgroups, including special education and economically disadvantaged, for analyzing the performance of particular groups of students.

If one of those subgroups fails to meet the bar in a particular subject area, the entire school is considered as not having made adequate yearly progress.

If a school fails to meet those standards for two years in a row, it earns a “school in need of improvement” designation.

Such a school needs to make adequate yearly progress for two years in a row to exit that status.

High school students across the state were not tested last year to allow a transition from spring to fall testing, but high schools retained whatever status they earned from the prior year’s adequate yearly progress results.

Chip McGee, assistant superintendent of schools, said good test results are an indication of a good staff.

“I was very pleasantly surprised (by the results). I think it’s a reflection of how thoughtfully our teachers work,” said McGee. “Every district is working hard, but I think our teachers make very good decisions on how to teach.”

The assessment program is part of the No Child Left Behind law, one that McGee believes is working for the most part.

“The general concept of the No Child Left Behind law is a good one. Everyone should do equally well in school,” he said. “The thing that’s a little silly is that 100 percent of kids should be proficient. That doesn’t acknowledge reality.”

McGee said the high school will need to approach the test differently when it comes time to give it to juniors.

“That’ll be the challenge for us, trying to convince our high school juniors to take this test seriously,” he said. “Our thirdthrough eighth-graders do take it seriously.”