education today: no child left behind act

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 ( PL 107-110) was passed by Congress in December 2001 and signed into law by President Bush on January 8, 2002. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) represents the most significant changes in federal laws concerning public schools in decades. The law attempts to achieve the goal of a quality education for all students by the 2013-2014 school year.

The NCLBA operates on the basic assumption that every child, regardless of income, gender, race, ethnicity or disability, can learn, and that every child deserves to learn. It is the belief that no child should be left behind, and that all our efforts toward reforming our schools must be focused on ensuring that student achievement and learning improve.

To meet the 100% goal of a quality education for all students, each state must define ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS (AYP), a series of performance goals that every school, local education agency (LEA) and state must achieve within a time frame specified by law. Ideally, under NCLBA, teachers will have the training and resources they need to teach, parents will have some options available concerning their children’s education, schools will have information to help improve weaknesses and school systems will have more flexibility in use of federal funds.

Some specifics of the law as spelled out in the Federal Register March 6,2002 are:

• All students will reach high standards at a minimum attaining proficiency or better in reading and math by 2013-2014.
• By 2013-2014 all students will be proficient in reading by the end of third grade.
• All limited English proficient students will become proficient in English.
• By 2005-2006 all students will be taught by highly qualified teachers.
• All students will be educated in learning environments that are safe, drug free and conducive to learning.
• All students will graduate from high school.

The entire text can be read at www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/107-110.pdf