No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (PL 107-110) is the final result of U.S. President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind program, a slogan used by Bush during his 2000 presidential campaign to describe his education policies.
This law attempts to improve the performance of America's primary and secondary schools by increasing the standards of accountability for states, school districts, and schools, as well as providing parents more flexibility in choosing which schools their children will attend. It also purports to increase flexibility to state and local agencies in the use of federal education money. Additionally, it promotes an increased focus on reading and re-authorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA).
While governor of Texas, Mr.Bush presided over the "The Texas Miracle" of public school improvements under laws very similar to the current national No Child Left Behind Act. Evidence suggests that some of the Texas school improvements came about with score tampering. The act began as House Resolution 1 in March 2001 during the 107th Congress. It was eventually passed by the House of Representatives on December 13, 2001 by a vote of 381-41. It passed in the Senate by a vote of 87-10 on December 18, 2001. It was signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2002 at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio. On hand for the signing ceremony were Democratic Rep. George Miller of California, Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Secretary of Education Rod Paige, Republican Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, and Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire.
The effectiveness and desirability of the Act's measures continue to be a matter of vigorous debate; the main positions of both sides of the debate are outlined below.
Arguments for
- Supports early learning.
- Measures student performance: a student's progress in reading and math must be measured annually in grades 3 through 8 and at least once during high school.
- Provides information for parents by requiring states and school districts to give parents detailed report cards on schools and districts, explaining which are succeeding and why.
- Gives options over failing schools: children will no longer be trapped in failing schools. If a school continues to fail some children will be able to transfer to higher-performing local schools, receive free tutoring, or attend after-school programs.
- Ensures more resources for schools. Today, public schools spend an average $7,000 a year per student. Federal funding for education has increased 59.8% from 2000 to 2003.
Arguments against
- Schools were not given the resources to help meet new standards.
- The schools that need help the most are punished instead of helped.
- Health insurance for every child in America would be a basic requirement to make sure no child is 'left behind'.
- Indicators of school performance not accurate or viable.
- Because schools, districts, and states are punished if they fail to make adequate progress, the incentive is to set expectations lower rather than higher.
- States and school districts should be granted greater freedom to target assistance to schools with the most extensive academic difficulties.
- After-school programs are neglected.
- Organizations such as ACORN have criticized the unwillingness of the federal government to fully fund the act. While promoted by President Bush and applauded by both parties, neither Republican leaders in the Senate nor the White House pushed to allocate the full amount promised by NCLB. This costs the education budgets of nearly every state hundreds of millions of dollars.
- NCLBA is a stealth law designed to strengthen the eventual privatization of schools through voucher systems; parents displeasure with public school performance as the schools try to meet the funding requirements of the NCLBA.
- Students with learning disabilities do not receive extra help when taking the standardized tests, and can jeopardize the assigned rating the entire school is given.
