Lawrence schools are meeting most of their goals under the federal No Child Left Behind act, according to preliminary results reported Monday.

But the law’s requirements will change next year, changing the game for districts.

“We have several things to celebrate,” said Terry McEwen, a district assessment specialist. “We also have some challenges in front of us.”

The law requires districts to make yearly progress toward the goal of having all students performing at proficient levels in reading and math by 2014.

The district did not meet the target with its students with disabilities or with black students.

But it did show improvement in many areas, and no schools were marked for improvement – a designation that can lead to sanctions.

Central Junior High School and Free State and Lawrence high schools did not meet the bar for adequate yearly progress in reading, according to the report.

In math, the two high schools, and Southwest and Central junior highs did not meet their targets.

The goals will prove tougher next year as test scores from additional grades are used a basis for a district’s results.

This year’s results are based on reading tests of students in grades five, eight and 11, and math tests of students in grades four, seven and 10. But starting next school year, schools will test students in grades three through eight, and once in high school.

Also, this year only schools that receive federal Title 1 funds for their population of students receiving free or reduced priced lunches can be subject to sanctions.

Next year, any school that does not perform to standards could be considered in need of improvement.

The Kansas Department of Education will release a list of schools in need of improvement later this month. Final information will be available in the fall.