The No Child

Left Behind
Act of 2001
Kara Suckow
EDUP-550

Where did NCLB Come From?

NCLB

is a reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary
Education Act

Signed in to law in 1965 by Lyndon B.

Johnson
Goal was for all kids to have a full
educational opportunity

What ESEA Provided

Grants

for districts with low-income students

Grants for textbooks and library books
Created Special Education Centers
Scholarships for low-income college
students
Grants to state educational agencies to
improve quality of elementary and
secondary education

The start of Title 1 funding

The beginning of NCLB

Reauthorization

of ESEA started in 2001

Signed in to law by President George W.
Bush on January 8, 2002

Expanded the federal role in education

Why?

Wanted to bridge the gap between

different demographic groups
Improve education for disadvantaged kids

Changes for Schools Under

NCLB
Annual

Testing

States required to test students annually,

grades 3-8, in reading and math
Science to be tested at least one time
during elem/ms/hs
Sample of 4th and 8th grade students
participate in National Assessment of
Educational Progress in reading/math
Provides

standard for comparison

Changes for Schools Under

NCLB
Academic

Progress

All students must be proficient on state tests

Schools must meet adequate yearly
progress targets
Not

adequate for 3 consecutive years requires

schools to provide supplemental services to
students
Students are allowed to transfer schools

Continued failure leads to outside corrective

measures

Changes for Schools Under

NCLB
Report

Cards

States required to furnish annual report

cards
Individual districts provide annual report
cards
Available

to the public, typically sent home

to families

Changes for Schools Under

NCLB
Teacher

Qualifications

Every teacher needs to be highly

qualified in core areas
All para-educators must have at least a 2
year degree and pass an evaluation

Changes for Schools Under

NCLB
Reading

First

Set up scientific, research-based reading

programs
Required for grades K-3
Priority is given to high-poverty areas

Changes for Schools Under

NCLB
Funding

Changes

Goal is to better target the resources

given to schools with high number of poor
children
States/Districts have more flexibility in
how federal money is spent

Benefits of NCLB
Rewards

for schools that close

achievement gap
Schools can pay teacher bonuses with
federal funds
Designate schools as Distinguished
Schools
Grants for teacher training
Grants for reading instruction
Flexibility in spending of federal funds

Results of NCLB
Better alignment between classroom teaching
and state standards
Schools making better use of test scores
State test scores have increased
Teachers report more stress to live up to high
standards
More time is spent on reading and math then
other subject areas
Results on achievement gaps are inconclusive

The Debate on NCLB

Soon

after its passing, No Child Left Behind

has been under a lot of scrutiny, and has
been the subject of many debates
In Favor:

Holds schools accountable, empower parents,

closes achievement gaps

Opposed

To:

Overemphasizes testing, not enough money

for schools to achieve standards, on-size-fitsall approach does not work for all schools

Where NCLB is Today

Renewal

of NCLB was supposed to be

voted on in 2007, but voting was stalled
In 2012, Obama administration began
offering more flexibility for states away
from standards under NCLB
In January, 2015 a new revision of the
law was proposed by Secretary Duncan

Need to turn around low-performing

schools by using new intervention models

Priorities of the New

Reauthorization
Promote

college/career readiness
Provide great teachers/leaders in every
school
Ensure equity and opportunities for all
students
Raise the bar and award excellence
Promote innovation and continuous
improvement

Resources

Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. (2001, September

19). Issues A-Z: No Child Left Behind. Education Week. Retrieved
October 11, 2015 from
http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/no-child-left-behind

Elementary and Secondary Education Act. (2015). Retrieved October

11, 2015, from U.S. Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/esea

Staff, G. (2014). What the No Child Left Behind Law means for your
child. Retrieved October 11, 2015, from Great Schools:
http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/no-child- leftbehind/

Powell, S. D. (2015). Your Introduction to Education: Explorations in

Teaching (3rd Edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Educ, Inc.