By Anne Hyslop
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) turned twelve this week, and with the anniversary, came the expected reflections from journalists, policy wonks, and advocates. Of course, this year holds special meaning—2014 was the law’s deadline for all students to reach proficiency in math and reading.
Given that 42 states and Washington, D.C. now have waivers freeing them from many of the law’s provisions, you might think that No Child Left Behind has been, well, left behind. That’s true in certain respects, but not in fundamentals. Remember, before NCLB, many states didn’t publish—let alone hold schools accountable for—the performance of their disadvantaged students. This was a huge feat, and one that has forever changed what we know about student learning and the quality of schools and educators.
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