Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the federal government’s largest investment in K-12 education. Title I of ESEA targets over $11 billion in financial assistance to schools educating low-income students. ESEA allocates almost another $10 billion for teacher recruitment and professional development, educational technology, after-school programs, and other purposes.
Along with providing additional resources, the No Child Left Behind legislation adds important accountability provisions to Title I of ESEA and establishes a framework for real progress in raising overall student achievement and in increasing parent involvement. The accountability provisions require states to set clear timelines for improving student achievement, with particular emphasis on closing achievement gaps between low-income and minority students and their peers. The new reporting provisions ensure that parents and the public will have a better sense of how schools are doing.
Ed Trust’s Recommendations for NCLB Reauthorization
Ed Trust's NCLB recommendations, which encourage states to raise their standards to “college- and career-ready” and adjust their timelines and student achievement goals, call for a number of new and better targeted federal investments in high-poverty schools. In addition to focusing on federal funds, the Education Trust is recommending shifts in state and local school funding patterns will help ensure that schools serving high concentrations of low-income students get their fair share of resources.
Ed Trust Statements and Testimonies on NCLB Reauthorization
Below you will find specialized information on No Child Left Behind including key provisions of the law. Please click on the links below for more detailed information and reports from the Education Trust on each topic.
General Information on No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was signed into law January 8, 2002 to ensure that every child in America receives a quality education.
Adequate Yearly Progress
Every state and school district is responsible for ensuring that students meet state standards for proficiency in reading and math by 2014. Schools must use disaggregated data to ensure that ALL groups of students are making adequate progress.
Teacher Quality
NCLB requires states to define a qualified teacher and to ensure that low-income and minority students are not taught disproportionately by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers.
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