By KATIE MCDOWELL/Lifestyles Editor

The Shelby County School District made its Adequate Yearly Progress goals for the second consecutive year.

Five schools failed to make AYP this year: Calera Middle, Calera Intermediate, Columbiana Middle, Linda Nolen Learning Center and Thompson High, according to a press release from Shelby County Schools.

The schools failed to make AYP in the following areas: Calera Middle, reading in the special education subgroup; Columbiana Middle, reading in the special education subgroup; Linda Nolen Learning Center, graduation rate; Thompson High, reading for special education subgroup and free and reduced lunch subgroup, math for the special education subgroup.

Calera Intermediate will assume the AYP status of Calera Middle when it opens this year, according to the press release.

AYP is determined by three main criteria: test scores, test participation and graduation rate. Schools also must meet goals in all subgroups of students, such as special education and those who receive free or reduced lunch.

“There is a certain percentage (schools) have to meet each year,” said Cindy Warner, public relations director for Shelby County Schools. “They steadily increased each year. Ultimately, they were all (supposed) to meet 100 percent by 2014.”

However, this may be the last year AYP is measured in the state of Alabama. The state was one of 36 states to receive permission to freeze percentages for the 2011-2012, and it is expected to apply for a full waiver next year, according to the press release.

If the waiver is awarded, the state will use Plan 2020, a new assessment process to measure student performance.

“That’s our understanding, but it’s based on the state applying for a new waiver,” Warner said.

Warner said the school district will still work to improve school performance based on AYP data.

“We pour over all of this data every year,” she said. “The schools will look over their data and make improvement plans.”