Reform No Child Left Behind

Planning underway for reforms

Updated: Monday, November 9th, 2009 | By Ian Jannetta

Democrats have never been very happy with No Child Left Behind, the signature education program from President George W. Bush that passed in 2002. Their biggest complaint was that Bush forced states to follow the law but never provided money for the effort.

As a candidate, Barack Obama vowed to provide that money and "improve NCLB's accountability system so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them."

The program was created as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which gives federal money to public schools. The act has to be reauthorized every five years. The 2002 authorization expired in 2007 and Congress has been funding No Child Left Behind through extensions ever since.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has indicated that reforming No Child Left Behind through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is a priority of the Obama administration. He has visited dozens of schools on a "Listening and Learning Tour" to seek input from educators on how to best improve the law, and he shared some of his ideas in public remarks on Sept. 24, 2009.

Proposed improvements outlined by Duncan echo promises made by Obama during the campaign, like better tests to track student progress and a reformed system to identify and help struggling schools.

A recently announced federal program, "Race to the Top," makes $4.35 billion in stimulus funds available to states in the form of competitive grants. To be eligible to recieve money from the program, states must make proposals to, among other things, set higher standards for student achievement and improve testing to measure progress, goals from Obama's education plan as a candidate.

As for the promise to reform No Child Left Behind, that will take more time. "Over the coming months the administration will be developing its proposal for reauthorization," Duncan said in his September remarks.

So the reforms are still in the formative stages. But there's evidence of progress, so we rate this promise In the Works.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Reathorization of ESEA: Why We Can't Wait, accessed Nov. 6, 2009

Organizing for America, A New Vision for 21st Century Education, accessed Nov. 5, 2009

The White House, Race to the Top, accessed Nov. 6, 2005

Thomas.gov, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, accessed Nov. 6, 2009

New America Foundation, No Child Left Behind Funding, accessed Nov. 6, 2009