The achievement gap between white and non-white students: a conceptual  (Page 4/19)

No child left behind (nclb) act

In 2001, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law which was designed to diminish achievement gaps between White students and students who were minorities, as well as hold higher accountability for schools across the nation (No Child Left Behind: A Desktop Reference, 2002). The NCLB act was comprised of four fundamental principles: accountability, flexible and local control, enhanced parental choice, and teaching methods that work. Emphasized by these four principles were that NCLB was a law that increased academic success for all children, including minority and low socio-economic students.

Accountability under NCLB is emphasized as a means to greater compliance of states, districts, and school administrators to develop and implement rigorous standardized tests to all students in grades 3 through 8, in both reading and math (Yell&Drasgow, 2005). An annual yearly progress (AYP) report is created every year for each school to determine the extent to which all students have made sufficient academic progress. By 2013-2014 school year, academic progression must be at 100 percent (No Child Left Behind: A Desktop Reference, 2002). Accountability also entails using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP is also referred to as the “nation’s report card” and is an “extensive data collection system that includes achievement tests” (Yell&Drasgow, 2005, p. 27). This form of assessment is given to a random sample of students every other year. Zhang and Cowen (2009) reported that schools within the 2003-2004 school year that were failing to meet the AYP had greater amounts of minority students enrolled and higher poverty levels. Also revealed in the study was the presence of a substantial teacher turnover, which affected the academic performance of students (Zhang&Cowen, 2009). Abedi and Hejri (2004) stated that unrealistic accountability had been placed on schools and districts with high number of students who were LEP. Schools with high number of students who were LEP have a lower academic baseline, yet were still required to establish 100% academic achievement and English proficiency by the 2013-2014 academic school year. Sunderman and Kim (2004b) reported that schools with a large minority population were expected to make unrealistic yearly progress to avoid sanctions, which include furnishing parents the option to move to a different school and purchasing supplemental service from school funds. Researchers have demonstrated that a “one-size-fits-all accountability model does not work in all conditions” and limits state management and weakens the educational changes by teachers that are needed in classrooms (Sunderman&Kim, 2004b, p. 5).

Flexible and local control under NCLB entails states’ and schools’ flexibility to spend federal education money. The purpose behind the flexibility is to allow greater decision making at the state and local levels where the needs of students are better known. Enhanced parental options under NCLB are to provide safeguards for students who are enrolled at schools that are low performing and not showing annual yearly progress. Parents are given the option to transfer their children to another school within the school district and the school district is required to provide transportation for the student (Yell&Drasgow, 2005).