No Child Left Behind Act
Education news, analysis, and opinion about the version of the Elementary and Secondary Schools Act in place from 2002 to 2015. It was replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act.
See also: Every Student Succeeds Act, Federal Policy
No Child Left Behind: An Overview
A primer on the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Its successor, the Every Student Succeeds Act, replaced NCLB in Dec. 2015.
Federal
Explainer
The U.S. Department of Education, Explained
There's a lot of talk—again—about eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. Here's what it does and how it works.
Federal
Opinion
Federal Education Reform Has Largely Failed. Unfortunately, We Still Need It
Neither NCLB nor ESSA have lived up to their promise, but the problems calling for national action persist.
Standards & Accountability
What the Research Says
What Should Schools Do to Build on 20 Years of NCLB Data?
The education law yielded a cornucopia of student information, but not scalable turnaround for schools, an analysis finds.
Standards & Accountability
Education Secretary: Standardized Tests Should No Longer Be a 'Hammer'
But states won't ease accountability requirements until federal law tells them to do so, policy experts say.
Leadership
Reports
Big Ideas 2022: 10 Broad Trends In K-12 Education in 10 Charts
Drawing upon the results of two nationally representative surveys, this report sums up 10 broad K-12 trends in 10 accompanying charts.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Opinion
20 Years Ago, NCLB Kinda, Sorta Worked. That's the Problem
NCLB's political success gave rise to a more complicated reality of lax academic standards and public cynicism.
Equity & Diversity
Reported Essay
When Did Equity Become a 'Trigger' Word?
Education equity may be inscribed in federal law, but that doesn't mean everyone agrees on what it means.
Equity & Diversity
Video
For Decades, Our Nation Supported Equity. Now, We’re Divided Over It
Federal law makes it clear that all public school students should reach a basic level of academic mastery, so what are we arguing about?
Standards & Accountability
Timeline: How Federal School Accountability Has Waxed and Waned
From its origins in the 1990s to the most-recent tack, see how the federal approach to accountability has shifted.
Standards & Accountability
Opinion
What Next-Gen Accountability Can Learn From No Child Left Behind
As we ponder what's next for accountability and assessment, we’d benefit from checking the rearview mirror more attentively and more often.
Federal
Bernie Sanders' Record on Testing and No Child Left Behind: A Brief History
The Democratic presidential candidate likes to highlight his vote against the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, although his record on the issue of high-stakes standardized testing isn't black and white.
Federal
Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Has K-12 Record as Senator, VP
Joe Biden has more history with K-12 education policy than any of the other current presidential candidates; but it's not all good history.
School Choice & Charters
Opinion
David Osborne on Reinventing Government (of Schools)
In discussing a recent book on remaking U.S. schools by David Osborne, Marc Tucker explores how his own views on school choice, competition and accountability have evolved over the years.
Reading & Literacy
Opinion
Are the Reading Wars 'Settled Science'?
I certainly hope there's never a rigid, unchanging agreement on the One Best Way to teach people of any age to read. All scholarly disciplines should undergo regular re-assessment, as research reshapes knowledge. There are still classrooms in the United States, after all, where evolution is not settled science.