The No Child Left Behind Act was a sweeping educational reform act passed in 2001 under President George W. Bush. While the act has come under criticism for several reasons, fans of the act say several favorable trends have come about directly as result of the act.
The No Child Left Behind Act instituted requirements that each student and school must live up to. The results are gaged through standardized testing. The testing varies from state to state though because each state develops and oversees the programs related to No Child Left Behind.
One of the advantages according to fans of the act is increased test scores. Data shows that test scores improved after the act was passed. This, proponents say, shows that No Child Left Behind is working and improving the quality of American education.
Another positive to come out of the No Child Left Behind Act is that the system is an improvement over the old system where schools had to live up to local standards.
A big advantage according to the No Child Left Behind Act’s backers is the increased sense of accountability. Schools and teachers must be accountable for the grades their students receive on the yearly tests. If a school or classroom as a whole performs poorly the school and teacher risk punishment up to and including firing.
Yet another advantage pointed to by those in favor of the act is an increased attention to minority populations. These populations must perform as well on the standardized testing as other groups so more efforts are made to make sure they’re up to speed.
The No Child Left Behind Act is a controversial act that has both negatives and positives. Fans of the act say that the act has improved education through increased accountability and say that improved test scores show that the No Child Left Behind Act works.