"Schools See Flex Time As Valuable Exercise" (Wash Post, 02/12/09)

High schools in Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun counties have been inserting these chunks of time -- from 40 to 90 minutes, depending on the school -- for several years, often to reduce after-school tutoring costs but also to raise achievement in the era of the federal No Child Left Behind law.

"Who’s failing – the student or the test?" (CSM, 02/11/09)

Refugee Bill Clinton Hadam’s tears of frustration in school have ended – and he relishes challenge. But his progress is not considered adequate by federal government standards.

"What Arne Duncan Thinks of No Child Left Behind" (USNews & World Report, 02/0509)

The new education secretary talks about the controversial law and financial aid forms

"Debate stirs on what makes 'highly qualified' teacher per NCLB" (Oshkosh Northwestern, 02/02/09)

The federal No Child Left Behind law requires a "highly qualified" teacher for every academic class in public school, and the Oshkosh Area School District boasts 100 percent compliance with the law, which requires every teacher to be certified in his or her subject area.

However, critics of No Child Left Behind say districts are even further away from achieving the federal law's teacher quality goals than the states' own numbers indicate.

"Bush Calls for Resolve on NCLB Renewal" (EdWeek, 01/08/09)

In a speech aimed at bolstering his legacy on education as he prepares to leave office, President George W. Bush today touted the success of the No Child Left Behind Act in raising student achievement and called on Congress to renew the law, without weakening its core principles of accountability and testing.

"New course is needed for No Child law, educators say" (San Diego Union-Tribune, 11/10/08)

Change is coming to the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

With Barack Obama heading to the White House and dozens of additional Democrats elected to Congress, President Bush's signature education bill almost certainly will face profound revisions, experts across the country say.

Rules Will Require Schools to Track Dropout Rates

Twenty-five percent of high school students quit school today, and, according to U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, that statistic must change under new rules aimed at extending No Child Left Behind to the high school level. Orange County Register/Associated Press, October 28, 2008

More Schools Miss the Mark, Raising Pressure

SINCE 2001, when President Bush signed the federal No Child Left Behind law, schools in Connecticut have scrambled to revamp curriculums, step up professional development for teachers and continually assess students’ test scores to comply with the law’s requirements. It is an effort that has dominated the agendas of school officials not just in Connecticut, but all over the nation, and not everyone is happy that test results have become such a focus. The New York Times, October 10, 2008

Under "No Child" Law, Even Solid Schools Falter

Many schools, even schools that make progress, are not making enough progress to meet the annually increasing goals that states agreed to when they signed on to the legislation. The New York Times, October 13, 2008

Needy Students Closing Test Gap Under 'No Child'

Since enactment of the No Child Left Behind law, students from poor families in the Washington area have made major gains on reading and math tests and are starting to catch up with those from middle-class and affluent backgrounds, a Washington Post analysis shows. Washington Post, October 2, 2008

Groups Seek to Keep a Spotlight on Issues of Testing, Standards

The No Child Left Behind Act is not likely to be reauthorized this year and isn’t getting much play on the presidential campaign trail.

But this week, some of the most ardent supporters of testing and standards discussed how the law has bolstered education and what next steps policymakers should consider in renewing it in the next Congress. Education Week, September 17, 2008

States Cite Capacity Gap in Aid for Schools on NCLB

Nearly seven years after the No Child Left Behind Act became law, two-thirds of state education departments report that they don’t have adequate capacity to help low-performing schools, says a study released last week by the American Institutes for Research. Education Week, September 17, 2008

Schools Fail to Meet No Child Left Behind Goals

A Call to Restructure Restructuring points out that 50% more schools failed this year than last under NCLB San Francisco Chronicle, September 23, 2008

In Rush to White House, "No Child" Is Left Behind

For the next president, one of the first domestic challenges will be to reshape the No Child Left Behind law, hailed six years ago as a bipartisan solution to America's education troubles.

But in their race for the White House, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) are distancing themselves from what has become a tainted brand.

State falling way behind No Child Left Behind

California schools, required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act to lift more students over a higher academic hurdle this year, instead stumbled and slipped back, as nearly 1,400 fewer schools met test-score targets.

Bush Education Law: Shift Ahead?

This could be the last time students go back to school under the current No Child Left Behind law. While opinions on the law are split (see the 40th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll), it's sure that the new president and Congress will be dealing with the law next year. The Christian Science Monitor, August 21, 2008