No Child Left Behind Act

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No Child Left Behind Act

File:U.S. President George W. Bush signs No Child Left Behind education bill at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio (January 8, 2002).webm No Child Left Behind Act

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was a U.S. Act of Congress that reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; it included Title I provisions applying to disadvantaged students. It was passed by the United States Congress in May 2001 and signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. The NCLB Act aimed to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind.

Overview

The NCLB Act required states to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades if those states were to receive federal funding for schools. The Act did not assert a national achievement standard; standards were set by each individual state. The law's emphasis was on increasing the accountability of schools, school districts, and states for improving the academic achievement of all students. It also aimed to provide parents with more flexibility in choosing which schools their children would attend, including options to transfer to better-performing public schools and access to supplemental educational services.

Key Provisions

• Accountability: Schools were required to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in test scores. If a school failed to meet AYP for two consecutive years, it was labeled as "in need of improvement," and a series of corrective actions were mandated.
• Testing: Annual state-wide standardized testing was mandated for all students in grades 3-8 and once in high school. The results of these tests were used to assess school performance.
• Teacher Qualifications: The Act mandated that all teachers in public schools must be "highly qualified" in the subjects they teach.
• Reading First: This initiative aimed to support states and local educational agencies in applying scientifically based reading research—and the proven instructional and assessment tools consistent with this research—to ensure that all children learn to read well by the end of third grade.

Criticism and Challenges

The NCLB Act faced criticism from various stakeholders. Critics argued that it led to "teaching to the test" at the expense of comprehensive education and that it unfairly penalized schools with significant challenges, such as those in high-poverty areas. Concerns were also raised about the feasibility of achieving 100% proficiency for all student groups by the 2013-2014 school year, a goal set by the Act. Additionally, the requirement for all teachers to be "highly qualified" was seen as problematic in areas with teacher shortages.

Reauthorization and Replacement

Efforts to reauthorize the NCLB Act began in 2007 but were met with little success until the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was passed in December 2015. ESSA replaced NCLB, giving states more flexibility in setting their own standards for measuring school and student performance. It retained the requirement for annual testing in reading and math but allowed states to set their own goals for academic achievement and accountability systems.

Impact

The impact of the NCLB Act is mixed, with some studies showing improvements in student achievement, particularly in math, and others indicating little to no effect. The Act significantly influenced educational policy and practice, increasing the focus on student achievement data and accountability for schools and educators.