Cass Ballenger: “the overarching goal of H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act, is to narrow the achievement gap between disadvantaged…”

“the overarching goal of H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act, is to narrow the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers. The bill takes a two-track approach, expanding flexibility for States and local school districts while holding them strictly accountable for increasing student achievement. The No Child Left Behind plan will tie Federal funding to results for the first time in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that was enacted in 1965. Since then, the Federal Government has spent more than $130 billion, including more than $80 billion in the last 10 years, and created more than 50 programs on the landmark Title I program to close the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers. Today the gap remains wide, and in some cases it is getting wider. We cannot keep perpetuating a system that accepts such mediocrity, not at the expense of our least fortunate children. One feature of accountability in H.R. 1 is a plan to help low performing schools, a designation that will be made by the States, to improve their performance. The bill increases the set-asides for States' school improvement funding to 5 percent. Let us please support the No Child Left Behind bill.”