For many years, most states have had strategies to support and improve low-performing schools. The recent passage of the 2001 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA 2001) provides states with an additional opportunity to ensure all schools perform at least at a proficient level. The revised ESEA contains two main components that directly affect low-performing schools. The first component is that states must adopt a single statewide system to show that all students are making adequate yearly progress (AYP) within 12 years. The second component applies a series of intervention to schools that fail to demonstrate AYP over time. This policy brief provides a general description of ESEA's requirements involving AYP and required school improvement practices; describes various types of interventions put into play should a school fail to make AYP; a sampling of state opportunities to leverage ESEA to support low-performing schools, including the requirements to develop school improvement plans, provide onsite research-based technical assistance, use data as an means for improvement, identify promising practices, and promote early learning; and key policy questions for states to consider as they support the improvement of low-performing schools within the ESEA environment. (Contains 11 references.) (RT)