"Federal grades for schools are out, and officials at two of the most struggling schools in the Northwest Valley [AZ] are happy.

"El Mirage Elementary in the Dysart Unified School District and Landmark Middle School in the Glendale Elementary School District have made the "Adequate Yearly Progress" required by the federal government after missing the mark four years in a row.

"Because those schools didn't make adequate progress for four consecutive years, state officials started getting involved to help turn them around."

"'I was elated. The staff was elated,' Landmark Principal John Dalmolin said. 'It was jubilation.'"

"The federal No Child Left Behind Act pushes for all children to meet passing levels in reading and math by 2014. It requires the state to issue an annual progress report to let schools and communities know whether they're on track toward meeting that goal.

"The report looks at how many students took the Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards, or AIMS, test and whether they passed the reading and math portions, as well as elementary attendance rates and high school graduation rates."

"Every school in the Peoria district and the Glendale Union High School District made the required progress this year."

"The district does its own testing of the students every quarter to give teachers an idea of where children are falling behind.

"Dalmolin focused on discipline at Landmark last school year and shook up the math curriculum. This year, he's focused on reading and has added another hour to the school day for children who are struggling and for those who want to take extra courses.

"Dysart officials have started focusing heavily on personnel, and Superintendent Mark Maksimowicz partly attributes El Mirage's improvement to that emphasis."