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No Child Left Behind is a federal education law affecting every public K through 12 school in the United States. The law was signed by former President George Bush in 2002. The purpose of the law is to ensure that all children in this country receive a high quality education and close the achievement gap.

There are four pillars of NCLB: holding schools responsible, giving states and districts flexibility in how they spend federal money, using scientific research to guide classroom practices and involving parents by providing information and choices about their children’s education.

Under the Obama administration, the term Elementary and Secondary Education Act has resurfaced from 1965 and is used instead of NCLB. President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the ESEA as part of the “War on Poverty” in 1965 which emphasized access to education and established high standards and accountability. The U.S. Department of Education website stated:
“In March 2010, the Obama Administration proposed that the law be revised to provide incentives for states to adopt academic standards that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace, and create accountability systems that measure student growth toward meeting the goal that all children graduate from high school and succeed in college.”

The language with the revised law is that every student will graduate from high school ready for college and/or a career.

A blueprint for ESEA reauthorization has been developed and focuses on three major goals: 1) raise standards, 2) reward excellence and growth, 3) increase local controls and flexibility while maintaining the focus on equity and closing achievement gaps.

President Obama’s goal is that by 2020 the United States will lead the world in college completion and ESEA will prepare all students to graduate ready to succeed in college and a career after high school. The U.S. Department of Education website stated: “We must follow the lead of the nation’s governors and challenge students with state-developed, college- and career-ready standards, and more accurately measure what they are learning with better assessments. We must reward the success of schools that are making significant progress, ask for dramatic change in the lowest-performing schools, and address persistent gaps in student academic achievement and graduation rates.”

Academic standards are set for different grade levels which indicate what a child should know and be able to do at each grade level. Student achievement is determined by the state through standardized testing. Testing starts at grade 3 and statewide accountability testing is done in grades 3 through 8.

“Adequate yearly progress is defined as a series of performance targets that states, school districts, and specific subgroups within their schools must achieve each year to meet the requirements of NCLB”(ed.gov). There are 10 student subgroups for each public school and local education agency in North Carolina. The subgroups are: 1) School as a whole (all students); 2) American Indian; 3) Asian; 4) Black; 5) Hispanic; 6) Multi-racial; 7) White; 8) Economically disadvantaged; 9)Limited English proficient and 10) Students with disability.

For elementary and middle schools to make AYP, each student subgroup must meet the following five target areas: 1) Ninety-five percent participation rate in reading/language arts assessment; 2) Ninety-five percent participation rate in mathematics assessments; 3) Meet or exceed the state’s annual measurable objective which is the end of grade or the end of course for proficiency in reading/language arts; 4) Meet or exceed the state’s AMO for proficiency in mathematics and 5) The school as a whole must show progress on the other academic indicator in attendance for schools in grade 3 to 8.

The Department of Public Instruction posted preliminary test results July 21, and the official test scores will be posted Friday. Please view these sites for school’s test results: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/ and http://www.ncreportcards.org/src/
Free online programs for students to assist them with standardized testing, tutoring and homework help are: Student Online Achievement Resource, www.militaryimpactedschoolsassociation.org and Tutor.com, www.myarmyonesource.com/cyss_tutor.

This law does not apply to on-post schools and information on NCLB/ ESEA can be viewed at braggschoolliaison@conus.army.mil through the online workshop link or contact a school liaison officer at 432-1008.

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