RUNNING HEAD: Policy Analysis Paper

PolicyAnalysisPaper
AlyssaDannhausen
October13,2015
SW3710
Dy7028

Policy Analysis Paper

TheUnitedStatesofAmericasyouthpopulationwillbethecountrysfutureleaders.The
countrysyouthneedstobeproperlyeducatedbyproperlyeducatedandtrainedteachers.The
futureofourcountrywillbeleftinthehandsofyoungergenerationsandiftheyarenotgiventhe
materialsandknowledgetheyneed,theywillbeunsuccessful.TheUnitedStatesstudentshave
anastoundingunsatisfactoryacademicrate.AccordingtotheNationalPublicRadio(2013),in
2012,theUnitedStatesofAmericasstudentsscoresinmathematicswerebelowaverageand
theirscoresinreadingandsciencewereclosetoaverage.Theunsatisfactorystudentsthatare
strugglingtobeat,orabovetheaverage,alsoincludeminoritiesandpoorchildren(Schliecher&
Davidson,2012,pp.2).AccordingtotheOrganisationofEconomicandCooperationand
Development(CITE)in2012,34countrieswererankedpertheirnationaltestingscores.
MathematicswasthelowestscorefortheUnitedStates,ranking27thplace.Readingwasthe
highestscoredsubjectat17thplace,andsciencewasrankedin20thplace.Itcomestonosurprise
thattheUnitedStatesneedstoraisetheiracademicstandardsandtherehavebeenmultiple
attemptsintryingtodoso.
PresidentLyndonB.Johnsonwasthefirstpresidenttoaddresstheacademicstandardsin
theUnitedStates.ThePresidentfirstsignedtheElementaryandSecondaryEducationAct
(ESEA)in1965(USDepartmentofEducation).AccordingtoElementaryandSecondary
EducationAct,TheESEAgavegrantstoschooldistrictsthathadlowincomestudents(US
DepartofEducation).Thisactallowsallowedfederalgrantstoprovidetextbooksandlibrary
bookstoschools,aswellasgivingscholarshipstolowincomecollegestudents.Anothergreat

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purposeofthisactwasthatitcreatedspecialeducationcenters.Thepurposeofthisactwasto
improveourcountrysqualityofeducation(USDepartmentofEducation,n.d.).
OnJanuary8,2002PresidentGeorgeW.BushsignedtheNoChildLeftBehindAct
(NCLB).AccordingtoElementaryandSecondaryEducationActthisactisessentiallyareform
oftheESEAthatwasauthorizedbycongress(USDepartmentofEducation).TheNCLBact
wantedtogiveextrasupportforschools,teachers,principles,andtostrengthentheeducationin
America(USDepartmentofEducation).
TheNCLBactrequires95%ofstudents,gradethirdthrougheighthandalsoinhigh
school,totakestandardizedtests(Hursh,2007,pp.296).TheNCLBwantsschoolstoraisetheir
standardsandcreatechallengingacademicstandardsfortheirstudents.Thestudentswillbe
testedinmathematics,reading,andscience.ThefocusoftheNCLBisplacedontesting.Each
stateisrequiredtoallowtheNationalAssessmentofEducationProgress(NAEP)toadminister
standardizedtestingtostudents,inordertocompareallthestatesscores(Hursh,2007,pp.296).
Thispolicynotonlygivesthenationalgovernmentaccountabilityfortheprogressintheschools,
italsogivesaccountabilitytothestateandlocalgovernments.
Eachstateisrequiredtosubmittothefederalgovernmentaplanfortheirstudent
assessmentandhowtheydeterminetheirstudentsprogress(Hursh,2007,pp.296).Ifschools
failtomeettheexpectationsthereareconsequences.AccordingtoHursh(2007),ifaschoolfails
tomeettheaveragefortwoconsecutiveyearsthatschoolwillbelabeledasinneedof
improvement.Schoolsfailingtomeetthegoalthatisexpectedforthreeconsecutiveyearsis
requiredtoprovidetheirstudentswithextraservices,includingfreetutoring(Callier,2007).
Schoolsthatfailtomeettheexpectationsforafourthconsecutiveyearstheschoolswillhaveto

Policy Analysis Paper

writeaschoolimprovementplan,whichhastobeapprovedbythestate(Callier,2007).Any
schoolthatfailsforthefifthconsecutiveyearwillbereconstituted(Callier,2007).Intheevent
thataschoolwillbereconstitutedthestatewilltakeoverandstartareconstructionofthestaff,
includingteachers(Callier,2007).AccordingtoHursh(2007)iftheschoolfailsforthefifth
consecutivetimeithastheoptiontoopentheschoolupasacharterschool,orturnitovertothe
state.Althoughtheschoolsareheldaccountableonastateleveltheystillneedfederalfundingto
allowtheschoolstoaffordthechanges.
InthefirstthreeyearsoftheNCLBact,thefundingforelementaryandsecondaryschool
educationincreasedby40%(HouseEducation&theWorkforceCommittee,2015).In2005the
statesandlocalschoolsreceived$24.4billionfortheNCLB.AccordingtotheUSDepartmentof
Educationin1995thestatesandschoolsreceived$23billionandin2005theyreceived$57
billion.AccordingtoU.S.Senator,TomHarkin,in2008theNCLBwasunderfundedby$14.8
billion.StatesevengettingtheirTitle1fundingcut,accordingtoTomHarkin(2007).The
UnitedStatesSenateandtheDepartmentofEducationhaveconflictinginformationinregardsto
thebudgeoftheNCLB.Inordertoreconstructtheschools,includingtheteachers,states
wouldneedtoreceiveanincreaseinfunding.TherequirementsthatarecalledforbytheNCLB
wouldcauseforanincreaseinfundingtothestatesandlocalschools,withoutittheycannot
revamporreconstructtheireducationalprogramsandteachers.
Everyactand/orlawhasitssupportersandthosethatopposeit,soitwouldcometono
surprisethatsuchabigacthasmanysupportersandmanywhoopposeit.AccordingtotheUS
DepartmentofEducationmanyofthesupportersarethosewhohaveworkedverycloselywith
thePresidentbeforetheactwassignedandwellafter.Manyofthesupportersareeducation

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basedorganizations.ThesupportersoftheNCLBincludetheNationalSchoolBoard
Association,theAmericanAssociationofSchoolAdministrators,theNationalEducation
Association,andtheNationalConferenceofStateLegislatures(USBoardofEducation).As
previouslystated,manyoftheseorganizationshaveworkedtirelesslytogetthisactsignedand
implementedandstillcontinuetoworkforittoday.
TheNCLBisasensitiveactandmanykeeptheeducationofthiscountrynearand
deartotheirheart.ThatbeingsaidtherearemanywhofeelthattheNCLBactisteachingand
focusingthestudentsontesting,andunfortunatelymanyfeelthatthefocusonstandardized
testingisntwhatthestudentsneed.Therearemanywhoopposethisactandthoseincludedare
theBusinessCoalitionforExcellenceinEducation,EducationTrust,AmericanFederationof
Teachers(AFT),andtheCouncilofChiefStateSchoolOfficers(CCSSO)(USDepartmentof
Education).Regardlessofhowmuchfundinghasbeenusedortheconsequencesthattheschools
andstatesarethreatenedwith,itstillleavesonesimplequestion,istheNoChildLeftBehindact
working?
AccordingtoWankerandChristie(2005)inMarchof2004,all50stateswereatorclose
tomeetinghalfoftherequirementsthattheyarerequiredtomeet.In2007reportsofschoolstest
scoreshadshownthatfourthgrademathincreased27%(Dee&Jacob,2011).Manyofthe
studentsthatwereimpactedmostappearedtobeminoritiesorpoorchildren.AccordingtoDee
andJacob(2011)AfricanAmericansandHispanicshadgreaterimpactsthanCaucasians.From
thesestatisticsandreportsthereisavisibleimprovementinthesesubjects,however,whenthe
focusisonlyontestingincertainareas,othersubjectstendtogetneglectedandthestudentsare
theonewhosuffers(Dee&Jacob,2011).Manyschoolshavehadtocutdowntheirteaching

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timeincertainsubjectsinordertocoverthematerialforthetestedsubjects.AccordingtoDee&
Jacob(2011)71%ofschoolsreportedthattheyhadtolimittimeinoneormoresubjectsinorder
tomeetthecriteriaforthetestedsubjects.
Whenconsideringthetitleoftheact,NoChildLeftBehind,onewouldimaginethatit
wouldincludeeverychild.Itisimportanttounderstandthatthisactissupposedtoincludeevery
childandissupposedtoprovidealevelingfieldforchildrenwithdisabilities(A.Lee,2014).
Therearecurrentlynoprovisionswithintheactitselfthatisspecifiedtowardschildrenwhoare
classifiedasadvancedorgifted.
Everychildisdifferent;thisiswheretheNCLBissupposedtoensurethatthechildren
aregettingwhattheyneedandtogrow,intellectually.However,therearestudentswhoare
abovewheretheyshouldbeintellectually,whathappenstotheireducation?Accordingtothe
DavidsonInstituteforTalentDevelopment(2006),theplanpromisesthateverychildwill
learnhowtoreadbythethirdgrade,itdoesnothingtoensurethatstudentswhoalreadyknew
howtoreadinkindergartenwillcontinuetolearn.Whenoureducationissofocusedonthose
whoarebehindandtheneedtocatchthemup,thenitaffectsthosewhoareadvanced.These
childrenoftenhavetheirneedsineducationneglectedbecausetheyalreadyunderstandthe
material.
Eachteacher/professionalhasadifferenttechniqueandopinionabouttheNCLB.Kristen
Aveyisasocialstudiesteacherthathasbeenteachingfortenyears.Kristenbelievesthatthe
NCLBactwascreatedwithgoodintentionsbutwithanyothereducationrelatedtopics,the
possiblenegativeconsequencesrelatedtotheactwerentverywellthoughtout.Basedonwhat
Kristensaidabouthowshefeelstheactishelpingthepopulation,itisclearthatteachersbecome

Policy Analysis Paper

frustratedsincetheyaretheoneswhoarerequiredtoteachthechildrenmaterialthattheyarenot
abletocompletelycover.Theissueisntnecessarilytheteachersnothavingenoughtimetoteach
thematerialbutitisthefactthattheyarerequiredtoteachcertainmaterialsandtesting
techniquesthattheycannotgoindepthwiththematerial.Iunderstandwhythepolicywas
created.Thereneededtobesomesortofstandardappliedtopublicschools.However,the
consequenceofthepolicyistheenormousemphasisonstandardizedtesting.Ifthepurposeof
educationistopreparestudentstobesuccessfuladults,itismissingthemark.Therearenotalot
ofstandardizedteststhatareadministeredinworkplaces,orevencollegeforthatmatter.
(KristenAvey,personalinterview).
Kristenwasaskedifsheeverhastocutdownherteachingtimeormaterialsinorderto
covereverythingneededforthestandardizedtesting.Yes!Ihavetodoitallthetime.Between
thestandardizedtesting,thesatecurriculum,andcommoncore,IfeellikeIonlyhaveenough
timetoskimthesurfaceofthecontentandIcantgoindepthenoughwithanything.Ithinkthat
thepurposeoftakingsocialstudiesclassesinhighschoolistopracticecriticalthinkingskills,
andthatoftenhastobecuttomaketimeforallthecontentthekidsneedtoknow.(Kristen
Avey,personalinterview).Thisenforceswhathasbeenpreviouslybeendiscussedandshows
howharditisontheteacherswhopassionatelywanttoteachthechildrenbutareonlyableto
teachwhatisrequired.
Imnotsurethatthepolicyreallyevenhelpsstrugglingstudents,beyonddrawing
attentiontosubgroupsandforcingdistrictsandteacherstobemoreawareoftheirperformance.
Whentheexpectationsplaceduponthesestudents(theACT/SAT,forexample,inMichigan)are
overwhelming,Ithinkthatalotofstrugglingstudentstendtofeeldefeatedandshutdown.The

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policyreallyignorestheaffectivepartsofeducationandputsallemphasisondata.(Kristen
Avey,personalinterview).Kristenpointsoutthefactthatpolicy,thatwasintendedtohelp
students,includingminorities,canactuallygivethestudentsafeelingofdefeat.Manychildren
arenottesttakersmeaningtheydopoorlyontests/exams,whichcouldaffectthetesting.
Iunderstandwhythepolicywascreated.Thereneededtobesomesortofstandard
appliedtopublicschools.However,theconsequenceofthepolicyistheenormousemphasison
standardizedtesting.Ifthepurposeofeducationistopreparestudentstobesuccessfuladults,it
ismissingthemark.Therearenotalotofstandardizedteststhatareadministeredinworkplaces,
orevencollegeforthatmatter.
Understandinghowteachersfeelaboutthispolicy/actissoimportantonsomanylevels.
Ourteachersareprovidingourstudentswiththeinformationinordertosucceedonthe
standardizedtestsandiftheyfeelliketheyarebeingpressuredtofocusoncertainitemsbutstill
donthavethetimetogeteverythingtheyneed.Theyarefocusedonwhatisexpectedofthem
andmaynothavethetimeorfocustogoabove.Weareshowingstudentsthattheyareonly
supposedtodowhatisexpectedofthem.
ItiseasytolookattheNCLBpolicyandseethatitsgoalsaretoimprovethequalityof
educationforourstudents.DuringKristenAveysinterviewitwasclearhowpassionatesheis
aboutherstudentsandtheeducationsheisprovidingthem.Howeveritwasalsoclearonher
angerandfrustrationthathappensbecauseoftheactitselfandthepressuresitisputtingonthe
teachers.Kristenexpressedhowmuchshelovesteachingherchildrenandthatshereallywould
lovetogoindepthonthematerialbutsheisonlyabletoskimthroughhermaterialbecauseof
theinformationandtechniquesthatneedtobetaughttoherstudents.AtonepointKristen

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expressedhowshefeelsthatsocialstudiesisacriticalthinkingsubjectbuttheyareunableto
evenaccomplishthisduetothatrestraintsonmaterialsandtime.
TheNoChildLeftBehindactisanactthatIpersonallybelievehasgoodintentionsbutis
notbeingimplementedinaneffectiveway.Ibelievethattheactismissingkeypoints,suchasa
specificprovisionforthosewhoareadvancedand/orgifted,anditisnotonlyaffectingthe
schoolsandteachers,butitisaffectingourstudents.Asamother,Iholdthetopicofthispolicy
neartomyheart.Ihaveafouryearoldson,Anthony,whoisextremelyadvancedandweare
alreadystrugglingwiththenegativeaffectsofthisact.Anthonytestsinmanysubjectsabovea
kindergartenlevelandunfortunatelyhehastodoworkthatheisalreadyfamiliarwith.
AnthonysteacherhavealreadyexpressedthefactthatIwillhavetobemysonsadvocatein
gettingastrongeducationbecauseduetotheNCLBact,hiseducationandneedsarebeing
suppressed.Inmyopinion,Idonotbelievethisactistakingcareofouryouthseducation.Itis
specificallytailoredtothechildrenwhoarebehindandstrugglingandnotconsiderateofthose
whoareadvancedandneedmorechallengingworkinordertogrow.Ialsobelievethattheactis
puttingtoomuchfocusonstandardizedtestinganditiscausingourchildrentomissoutonmore
informationintheireducation.
Icanalsobeanadvocateforthosewhostrugglewithtesttaking.Allthroughoutschool,
includingcollege,Ihavestruggledwithtakingtests.Regardlessoftheamountspendstudying
whenatestwouldbeplacedinfrontofmemyanxietywouldskyrocket.Itwouldseemas
thoughIwasnotpreparedwheninfactIwouldstrugglewithbeingtimed.Howdoweprepare
ourstudentstonotbeafraidoftestsbutstillhavethetimetocoverthematerialneeded?Irecall
severalincidentswheretheteacherwasunabletoteachallofthematerialneededanditwasput

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ontous,thestudents,tolearnourselves.Havingateacherexplainandteachthematerialversus
studentshavingtolearnthematerialontheirownisadisaster.Therearestudentsthatstruggle
withteachingtheirselvesandrelyonhavingtheirteacherfortheinformation.Itisnotdoingour
studentsanyfavorsexpectingthemtoteachtheirselves.
Inconclusion,theNoChildLeftBehindactisareformoftheElementaryandSecondary
EducationAct.Theactissupposedlytodrawfocusonimprovingtheeducationforourstudents
andincreasethestandardizedtesting,whileessentiallypunishingthoseschoolsthatfailto
succeed.Theactwascreatedtoincreasedthecurrentunsatisfactoryratethatourstudentshave.
Eachpersonmayhaveadifferentopinionontheact.KristenAvey,asocialstudiesteacher,
expressedherconcernfortheactsayingthatithasgoodintentionsbutitismissingthefactthat
thematerialisonlycoveringwhatisneededforthetesting.Statisticsshowthatmanystudents
testingscoresareimproving,whilesomearenotorstayingthesame.Theactisaboutfourteen
yearsoldandtherearestillmajorconcernsregardingitssuccess.

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References
Avey,Kristen,personalinterviewSeptember30,2015.
ThisinterviewwasbasedonKristenAveysexperiencewithteachingwithintheNCLB
guidelines.TheinterviewalsoincludedKristenspersonalopinionontheact.
Caillier,J.(2007).ThenochildleftbehindAct:"AreStatesonTargettoMakeTheirGoals?The
JournalofNegroEducation,76(4),582596.
JamesCailliergivesadetaileddescriptionoftheNoChildLeftBehindActof2001and
thestipulationsthatareincluded.Caillieralsoshowstheimpactoftheactandifthe
state(s)haveimprovedorhavenotimprovedtheratesoftheUnitedStatesstudents,in
readingandinmath.
Dee,T&Jacob,B.(2011).Theimpactofnochildleftbehindonstudentachievement.Journal
ofPolicyAnalysisandManagement,30(3),418446.
Thisstudyexaminesif/howtheNoChildLeftBehindActof2001hasinfluencedthe
UnitedStatesschools/studentsandtheirperformanceintheirstudies.Thestudydidshow
animprovementinmathinparticulargradelevels.

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DoesNoChildLeftBehindRequirethatNoChildCanGetAhead?(2006).Retrievedfrom
http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10361.aspx
ThisarticleshowsthenegativesideoftheNCLBandhowitaffectschildrenthatare
advancedorgifted.TheDavidsonInstituteforTalentDevelopmentalsoshowshow
manykidsarebeingforcedtostaywiththeirclass,intellectually,andarenotbeing
challengedwithacurriculumthatfitstheirneeds.

FederalFundingfortheNoChildLeftBehindAct.(2007,March14).Retrievedfrom
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG110shrg35329/pdf/CHRG110shrg35329.pdf
Thisarticleisadocumentfromasenatehearingthatwasbasedonthefundingforthe
NCLB.ThereisapersonalstatementfromTomHarkins,asenator,whichdiscussesthe
issueofunderfundingofthepolicy.
HouseEducation&theWorkforceCommittee(2015) NochildleftbehindisfundedRetrieved
from
http://archives.republicans.edlabor.house.gov/archive/issues/109th/education/nclb/nclbfu
nded.htm
ThisgovernmentpageisdedicatedtoshowinghowtheNoChildLeftBehindActof
2001isfunded.Thepagealsoincludeshowmuchshouldandisbeingdisbursedby
schools.
Lee,A.(2014,March8).Hownochildleftbehindaffectsyourchild.Retrievedfrom
https://www.understood.org/en/schoollearning/yourchildsrights/basicsaboutchilds
rights/hownochildleftbehindaffectsyourchild

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AndrewLeeshowshowtheNCLBactaffectschildrenandhowitismainlythereto
allowchildrenwhoaredelayedorbehind.Theauthoralsopointsoutthattheactis
holdingschoolsaccountablefortheeducationprovidetothestudents,aswellasthe
improvementstheacthasmade.

Mathis,W.(2005).Thecostofimplementingthefederalnochildleftbehindact:different
assumptions,differentanswers.PeabodyJournalofEducation,80(2),90119.
WilliamMathisdiscusseswhattheNoChildLeftBehindActof2001requiresandwhat
thecostwillbe.Thearticlealsodiscussesthatsomestatesrefusestouselocalmoneyto
fund/implementthepolicyanddebatesthefunding.
OrganisationofEconomicandCooperationandDevelopment(2015).Programmefor
internationalstudentassessment(PISA)resultsfromPISA2012.Retrievedfrom
http://www.oecd.org/unitedstates/PISA2012resultsUS.pdf
OECDliststheresultsfromthe2012PISA.Theresultsshowwherecountries,including
theUnitedStates,rankedand/orperformedintheirsubjects.
USDepartmentofEducation.(2015).Statesimpactonfederalpolicy.Retrievedfrom
http://nysa32.nysed.gov/edpolicy/research/res_essay_bush_gw_suppt_oppnts.shtml
TheUnitedStatesDepartmentofEducationarticleontheNCLBdiscussesthesupporters
andthosewhoopposetheact.Thepageincludesthosewhoworked/workscloselywith
Bush(wheninoffice)andthosewhostillworkwiththepolicy.

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USDepartmentofEducation(n.d.)ElementaryandSecondaryEducationAct.Retrievedfrom
http://www.ed.gov/esea
TheUnitedStatesDepartmentofEducationdiscussestheactpriortotheNCLBact.The
ElementaryandSecondaryEducationAct(ESEA),signedbyPresidentLyndonJohnson,
andtheNoChildLeftBehindAct,signedbyPresidentGeorgeW.Bush,iscomparedin
thisarticle.ThereisalsoadiscussionofpossiblyneedinganewversionoftheESEA.

Wanker,W.&Christie,K.(2005).StateImplementationoftheNoChildLeftBehindAct.
PeabodyJournalofEducation,80(2),5772.
Thisarticlediscussestheaccountabilitythatwasgiventothestatesinordertoimplement
theNCLBact.ItalsoincludesthestatesprogressinimplementingtheNCLBactand
showshowmuch,ifany,arenotontrack.