Would You Leave Me Behind?

Education policy experts say it will likely be at least a year before a reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act occurs, as President-elect Barack Obama’s administration has placed a priority on economic recovery and health care reform.

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the fundamental federal law governing K-12 education. The National Education Association strongly supports the stated goals of the law — to raise student learning, close achievement gaps, and ensure that every child is taught by a highly qualified teacher. But, simply put, the law is not working.

Many states have struggled to meet the requirements set forth by law, while others have chosen to sue.

NCLB is up for reauthorization this year, and NEA is asking Congress to make three fundamental changes in the law so that it works for children:

1. Use more than test scores to measure student learning and school performance;
2. Reduce class size to help students learn;
3. Increase the number of highly qualified teachers in our schools.

NEA currently supports 145 bills introduced in Congress to revise NCLB.

NEA also calls for adequate funding of NCLB. NEA state-by-state data shows how current funding falls far below the level set in the law.