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

Explainer

President George W. Bush signs the No Child Left Behind Act at Hamilton High School in Hamilton, Ohio, on Jan. 8, 2002. The NCLB law updated the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and significantly ratcheted up the federal role in education.
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.
View Explainer
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.
Nancy Flanagan, May 2, 2018
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3 min read
Federal News in Brief A Believer Still, Bush Stands Tall On NCLB Law
The law he championed has been replaced, but former President George W. Bush sees reasons to stand up for the No Child Left Behind Act.
Sean Cavanagh, April 23, 2018
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1 min read
Federal Remembering Former First Lady Barbara Bush, an Advocate for Literacy
As the wife of former President George H.W. Bush, she used the bully pulpit of her office as first lady to advance the issue on behalf of both for children and parents.
Alyson Klein, April 18, 2018
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2 min read
Every Student Succeeds Act States Adjust Course on School Turnaround Districts
The new school year brings changes for states that are starting—or, in at least one case, dropping—state-directed efforts to improve some of their lowest-performing schools.
Daarel Burnette II, September 5, 2017
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6 min read
Every Student Succeeds Act Are States Leaning on Waivers From Past Law for Their New Education Plans?
States aren't necessarily keen to toss overboard what they put in their waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act when crafting their direction under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Andrew Ujifusa, July 5, 2017
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3 min read
Every Student Succeeds Act States Struggle to Define 'Ineffective Teachers' Under ESSA
The Every Student Succeeds Act has reignited battles over how to determine which teachers fall short and whether state or local leaders should make those decisions.
Daarel Burnette II, May 30, 2017
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6 min read
School & District Management School Closures: What Do They Mean for Students and Communities?
Only 8 percent of all schools closed were replaced with new schools that served the same grades, finds a new Urban Institute study.
Sarah D. Sparks, March 27, 2017
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2 min read
Every Student Succeeds Act State ESSA Plans Seek to Be Ambitious But Achievable
Some already are proposing tight timelines to meet their state-determined goals under the Every Student Succeeds Act, while others worry about boxing themselves in.
Daarel Burnette II, January 17, 2017
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6 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
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Federal Opinion Will Betsy DeVos Divide the School Choice Movement?
The political alliance between charter school and voucher supporters may be fraying, writes Jeffrey R. Henig.
Jeffrey R. Henig, January 17, 2017
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5 min read
A Dispatch From Outgoing U.S. Education Secretary: In his final Commentary as education secretary, John B. King Jr. considers the state of American schooling.
Jonathan Bouw for Education Week
Federal Opinion A Dispatch From the Outgoing U.S. Education Secretary
In his final Commentary as education secretary, John B. King Jr. considers the state of American schooling.
John B. King Jr., January 17, 2017
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5 min read
President Barack Obama speaks before signing the “Every Student Succeeds Act,” the main federal education law, setting U.S. public schools on a new course of accountability. The 2015 law changes the way teachers are evaluated and how the poorest performing schools are pushed to improve.
President Barack Obama prepares to sign the Every Student Succeeds Act, on Dec. 10, 2015. The administration took office with an ambitious agenda on K-12 issues, fueled by federal aid to help the nation recover from the recession.
Susan Walsh/AP
Every Student Succeeds Act Obama's Legacy on K-12 One of Bold Achievements, Fierce Blowback
The president entered office with education a top priority, scoring policy wins in some areas before hitting headwinds in his second term.
Alyson Klein, January 10, 2017
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6 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
Chris Whetzel for Education Week
Every Student Succeeds Act Making Sure That Schools Measure Up Under ESSA
Here's a concise guide to key school accountability provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act, including how states and districts handle teacher evaluation, gauge school progress, and fix their lowest-performing schools.
Alyson Klein, December 30, 2016
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5 min read
Every Student Succeeds Act Report Roundup Accountability Data
Filled with jargon, "meaningless" tables and missing data, state report cards can be difficult for parents to use, an analysis by the Data Quality Campaign says.
Sarah D. Sparks, December 13, 2016
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1 min read
Federal Kansas Governor Warns of Tax Hike if State Loses Funding Case
The state's highest court is weighing the "adequacy" of the Kansas school funding system and previously ruled that the system is inequitable.
Daarel Burnette II, October 12, 2016
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3 min read
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