NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

No Child Left Behind

No Child Left Behind

The No Child Left Behind Act is a United States Federal Law that reauthorizes an amount of federal programs that seek to progress the performance of America's primary and secondary schools by increasing the standards of responsibility for states, as well as providing parents more flexibility in selecting which schools their children will attend. Many have questioned this program and its structured towards fixing the education problem in the U.S. Testing scores have not improved from this program and withholding money from the schools will only do more harm than good(Terry, 2008).

Many children in the United States experience reading failure. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on reading in 2003, 37% of fourth graders are reading below the Basic Proficiency level . Under NCLBs plan, all public schools students must be proficient in reading and math by the year 2014 . Only students in second grade and beyond are required to test. In grades three through eight and once during high school, reading and math development will be calculated yearly. Testing in science will also be conducted by the end of the 2007-2008 school year (Dillon, 2008). According to this program new teachers entering this field are required to acquire at least a bachelor's degree. Teachers that are not new must pass a test in which state they teach in that demonstrates their subject understanding and teaching abilities .

Each year schools, school districts, and the state must make adequate yearly progress (AYP). States need to develop standards-based tests in science by next school year (2007-2008). Under the accountability provisions, states must explain how they will close the achievement gap by making certain that all students reach academic proficiency. States must also generate annual state and school district report cards that notify parents and the surrounding communities regarding the state and school progress(Terry, 2008).

The goal of the NCLB is to close the enormous achievement gap between student social-economical groups. There are eight key benefits of NCLB. They include: To have students receive a quality education taught by a highly qualified teacher. To have students learn all subjects such as reading-language, arts, and math at the same academic level of all other students. To transfer students to another school if their child's school is identified as "in need of improvement". To apply for supplemental services for a student, ...