Abstract
This paper discusses the No Child Left Behind Act and the adequate yearly progress (AYP) objectives that the Act requires each state to develop. It describes and defines AYP and the number of students that are required in order to form a subgroup that is statistically valid. Specifically, the paper analyzes the benefits and limitations of the AYP requirements.

From the Paper
"Further, these schools have to be able to provide both support and maintenance for the technology that they have. Many of these more rural schools are not able to afford to employ an on-site coordinator to provide the support that is needed for the technology (Reeves, 2003). Once again, the most significant obstacle that is facing the rural school districts is the lack of access to the resources that they need. Under the current funding formulas that are used, there are many rural districts that do not have the access to financial resources that they need in order to be able to take advantage of the latest and greatest in technology (Reeves, 2003). Programs like the one that is offered in Missouri are one step closer to helping many rural schools to address the problems that are often associated with being both small, rural, and dealing with The No Child Left Behind Act."

Tags:funding, NCLB, MOREnet, learning

Abstract
The No Child Left behind Act is the United States government's answer to ensuring that children are properly educated in the nation's public schools. Through annual testing in basic subjects such as math and reading, children of all grade levels are tested on the knowledge, skills and abilities to determine if the schools are accomplishing their mission of teaching American children. This paper examines the impact of this law and argues that it has a significant negative impact on both the United States education system and children in urban schools.

From the Paper
"Background Standardized testing reflects the belief that one test will be suitable to assess the abilities of all American school children in a particular subject. States are individually responsible for producing these tests, which are then distributed to all schools within the state, where they are administered by the school districts."

Tags:schools, testing, nclb

Abstract
This paper attempts to determine if testing under the "No Child Left Behind Act" (NCLB), signed into law in 2001 by President George Bush, is capable of accomplishing what it is intended to accomplish. The paper points out that NCLB was intended to address the needs of students to achieve proficiency in basic reading and mathematical skills. Prior to the implementation of NCLB, many youths throughout the country were exiting the educational system without possessing these skills and this hindered their ability to achieve personal and professional goals. As a solution, NCLB required each state to develop standardized testing that would produce test scores indicating each student's level and allowing officials to determine whether or not the schools were accomplishing their goals. The paper finds that one of the most significant issues is that each state's tests are not universal and in some states the tests are consistently changed, providing no clear evidence of progress that can be compared over time. The paper concludes that, for students struggling in school, state testing measures do not support the intention of NCLB and reduce the validity of the accountability of the educational system.

From the Paper
"The text of the NCLB indicates that "each state may select and design assessments of their choosing" ("No Child", 2001, sec. 3). Wenning, Herdman, Smith, McMahon and Washington (2003) discuss the fact that in states such as Louisiana and Maryland the tests that have been developed to meet the mandates of NCLB are both norm-referenced and criterion based (sec. 2). According to Wenning, Herdman, Smith, McMahon and Washington (2003) this means that some students are tested on their "board knowledge" of a subject, while other students are tested on their specific knowledge of objectives associated with the curriculum in each state (sec. 2). As this consistently occurs the tests results that are gathered by the state and federal governments cannot be compared to one another because there is not a universal system of testing that occurs. Additionally, because the testing of students is determined by each state, some states alter the testing patterns given, further complicating the accountability and assessment process."

Tags:literacy, math, youth, elementary, school, teaching, education, test, examination

Abstract
This paper discusses the adverse impact of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The paper outlines specific provisions of the NCLB legislation and examines its unrealistic expectations. The paper maintains that the Act's standards of achievement have no basis in the realities of the education system.

From the Paper
"Since the passage of President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) education legislation, the adverse impact of its requirements has been experienced at the school district and state levels. Most specifically, its unrealistic expectations of increased academic performance for all subgroups of students, including those with special needs and limited English proficiency, have imposed an unreasonable burden on schools and school districts. Other problems such as the lack of funding and resources to comply with the provisions of the legislation have also been found..."

Tags:No, Child, Left, Behind, Act

Abstract
The paper identifies serious disconnects between what the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandates and what is currently and systemically possible. At the heart of the problems of the NCLB, the paper says, are mandates that teaching methods and systems used must be "proven" by rigorous research to be effective. The writer explains that very little reliable research has actually been made to identify what educational techniques can be used on a large scale basis in the United States and argues that the greatest obstacle to a solution is a failure by educational experts to even agree on what the standards for a "proven" system should look like. The paper concludes with suggestions for new approaches that would provide meaningful and long-lasting reform to the NCLB. This paper contains an annotated bibliography.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review
Findings
The Need for Reform
Standardized Testing
The Requirements for Useful Starndardized Testing
Objections to Standardized Tests
The Lack of Proven Programs
What Standards Do We Make?
Theory Versus Application
Bridging the Gap
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Overall, the results of the findings were that at least two key provisions of the NCLB were either misdirected or ineffective. One, that while the NCLB requires under performing schools to utilize "proven" pedagogy and educational programs to increase student performance, no educational program of any kind has met the standards of the NCLB. In fact, educational developers and researchers cannot even agree on what would be considered a "proven" program. Second, while the theory of Standardized Testing was that assessments drive classroom instruction to focus on reasoning and critical thinking skills, in actuality schools often "Teach the Test", abandoning efforts to teach reasoning and critical thinking skills for the goal of teaching students test-taking skills to inflate test scores."

Tags:curriculum researcher performance evaluation requirement, value-added model, academic

Abstract
The paper discusses how the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) strengthened the pressure from the federal government on states and districts to maintain a nationally recognized high quality of education, measured through standardized tests. The paper then looks at how the educational policy of California is affected by the NCLB. The paper concludes with the opinion that the NCLB is of great benefit to not only California, but the entire nation.

From the Paper
"A national educational policy that has been implemented, the effect of which is felt on all levels of government down to the state and local jurisdictions as well, is that of the No Child Left Behind Act. In California this act has had considerable implications upon the way in which the school's are run, managed, and governed, and the level to which they are held accountable for their progress. The impact of this policy will be demonstrated to have a predominantly positive effect upon the school system and all its components, including the students, staff, and community."

Tags:education, accountability, testing, teachers

Abstract
The paper discusses the controversy the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has engendered on the state and local level and among teachers, parents and students. The paper explains that NCLB is designed to help students by guaranteeing them a better education. The paper maintains that the government needs a way to measure that better education. The paper relates that standardized testing is the way the federal government has chosen to accomplish this task, but excessive testing can have a negative effect on students. The paper concludes that NCLB has potential as an educational reform. It really could improve education in this country, but it needs to be reviewed and revised so that it is truly fair to all groups involved.

From the Paper
"Current President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) into law on January 8, 2002 (ed.gov). This education improvement act which reworked the former Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is supposed to accomplish several things to improve schools in the United States. States and districts are supposed to be more accountable. State and local levels should have more flexibility when using federal money. Teachers are encouraged to use proven methods of teaching and parents have more options in getting their child the best education possible (ed.gov)."

Tags:standardized, testing, federal, money, schools

Abstract
This paper explains that the Secretary of the Department of Education (DOE) from 2001 through 2005, Rod Paige, is a controversial figure. The paper describes Secretary Paige's primary responsibility for the initial passage and implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which has been the most sweeping educational reform legislation in a generation, intended to raise all schoolchildren in the United States to a uniform level of achievement by 2014. The paper then presents several important issues contributing to the failure of the DOE to fully come to terms with the complexities and enforced uniformities of NCLB. The paper concludes that Paige's own controversial stances and excessively strident political viewpoint may have reduced his potential effectiveness during his term.

From the Paper
"Paige went on to note that with over 15,000 individual school districts in the nation, with assessment and governance standards varying almost on a district-by-district level (and certainly on a state-by-state level), he made it a priority for his department to work closely with each state to institute appropriate assessment and accountability programs. He stated that this first goal was accomplished (in 2003) for all fifty states, in large part due to the cooperation of delegations from many states, which had been invited to meet with DOE leadership in Washington, D.C., to discuss their issues and concerns."

Tags:nea, accountability, resignation, complex, aggressive

Abstract
This paper explains that, according to the United States Department of Education, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is necessary to promote scholastic achievement amongst American students by promoting stronger accountability, more freedom for states and communities, more choices for parents and proven education methods. The author points out that many people believe that it is a step in the right direction but see that it has some very serious flaws. The paper concludes that the real victims will be students left behind in failing schools because these schools do not possess the financial wherewithal to attract good teachers.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Defining NCLB and Parental Involvement
Stronger Accountability for Results
More Freedom for States and Communities
More Choices for Parents
Proven Education Methods
Economic, Social and Political Institutions or Players
Factual Analysis

From the Paper
"As it relates to political institution, this Act is one of the policies that have emerged during the Bush administration; making the Bush administration a major player in the implementation of the act. Although there are republicans that are supportive of this act, there are other Republicans and Democrats alike that do not believe it will accomplish the goal of leaving no child behind. This has made this Act a hot button issue in the political world. State governments also have a great deal to loose or gain through the implementation of the Act."

Tags:accountability, flaws, political, financial, rural

Abstract
The paper examines the results of research on what went on in classrooms as a result of the high stakes testing engendered by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The paper reveals that while some low-performing schools were encouraged to evaluate their inadequate curriculum, others simply reported fraudulent results or did not test low performing students. The paper points out the procedural and technical problems in developing, scoring, and interpreting the NCLB standardized tests. The paper argues that we need to stop the trend of penalizing teachers, administrators and schools for having low standardized test scores, and instead focus on building up teachers through teacher development and motivation.

From the Paper
"The fundamental mechanism of the No Child Left Behind Act has been an accountability system of high stakes standardized testing of the core mathematics and reading subjects. The way schools and districts perform on the tests has huge consequences. It can ultimately lead to sanctions, withholding of federal funding, and a change in leadership at the school. The assumptions underlying the act are that teachers and administrators hold low expectations for their students, and this is doubly true for students who are disadvantaged. Thus, they aren't putting enough effort to educate them. The framers of the NCLB act claim the legislation will hold administrators' and teachers' feet to the fire."

Tags:classroom, teaching, scores, performance