The final tally of which schools met the goals was supposed to be finished months ago. But the status of some schools is still unclear because of confusion at the state and local levels. Some schools may eventually face federal sanctions if the state and/or school districts decide they did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) toward the goals of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), which requires all students to be proficient in math and reading by 2014.

Board members will hear a report today by Judy Park, associate state schools superintendent, detailing the reasons for the confusion, which hinges on whether schools can average certain scores to make AYP and who makes that decision.

Several school districts hoped to make AYP appeals based on three-year averaging. The U.S. Department of Education, however, said Utah schools cannot use averaging. Other states are allowed to use the averaging, but Utah is not because the rule is no longer a part of the state's AYP workbook, which outlines the rules Utah must follow, U.S. Department of Education officials told Park in December.

"I consider that an oversight on our part that we should have caught," said State Schools Superintendent Patti Harrington. She said the state office likely will recommend the state leave the 2007 AYP appeals decisions up to districts.

Still, at least one district is waiting for guidance from the state. Granite School District hopes to use three-year averaging to show that 25 schools made AYP. Those schools shouldn't be penalized because of an omission at the state level, especially when other states are applying the rule, said Darryl Thomas, Granite director of research, assessment and evaluation.