NCLB

NCLB, or No Child Left Behind, is the name given to the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. NCLB enacts theories of standards-based reform and supports raising the bar high for students and establishing measurable goals to improve individual outcomes in education. In order to position themselves for the highest levels of federal dollars, states are required to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students at regular intervals which has led to a culture of testing in schools.   

One of the most well-known initiatives to come from NCLB was Reading First. The overarching goal of Reading First was to provide funding to schools committed to using scientifically based research to design programs aimed at ensuring that all children read well by the end of first grade. Research was unable to substantiate the success of this initiative and funding for Reading First was discontinued in the 2009-2010 federal budget.