INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State education leaders hope a new federal education pilot program will allow Indiana to tailor programs for schools that need the most help.

Six states, including Indiana, will get more freedom under the federal No Child Left Behind law. The approved states have come up with plans to more closely match solutions to individual schools' problems and focus resources on those in the worst shape.

"Experience shows us that tailoring support based on need is more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to turning around struggling schools," said Suellen Reed, Indiana's superintendent of public instruction.

The pilot program, which uses an approach called the differentiated accountability model, will only affect Title I schools. Those schools have a high percentage of students from low-income families and receive additional federal money to help at-risk students.

Educators have long complained that the No Child Left Behind act, passed in 2001, treats schools the same no matter how close they come to meeting yearly benchmarks.

Under the pilot program, Indiana will divide the Title I schools needing improvement into two categories. Most of those 220 schools will need focused improvement, such as tutoring services or professional development.

But 50 schools will likely need comprehensive improvement, meaning they need to take extensive measures to meet yearly goals. Those schools will participate in year-round, computer-based testing and will hire full-time math and reading coaches, state officials said.

Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland and Ohio were chosen from 17 states that applied for the pilot program. Each chosen state can create its own formulas to help struggling schools.

U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has said up to 10 states will be allowed to try to participate in the pilot program. The Education Department plans to review additional state proposals this fall.

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On the Web:

www.doe.state.in.us