The No Child Left Behind
Act, signed into law on Jan. 8, 2002, is widely viewed as the most sweeping federal
education bill in more than 40 years.
May 2, 2008
Reading First's
Effectiveness Questioned By Test Results
RealAudio
| MP3: The
"Reading First" program aimed at improving elementary school reading,
particularly for low-income children, reaches about 1,500,000 students in 5200
schools nationwide. The program requires students to spend a small amount of additional
time each day focusing on phonics, sounds, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
But a new study from the Department of Education found students in the
program are not reading any better than those we are not.
Two educators
debate the merits and pitfalls of the program's intent and execution.
Extended interviews
from John Merrow's reports and stories from the frontlines of education reporting.
NewsHour education special correspondent
John Merrow looked into how some teachers and school districts are handling the
federal education law and states' execution of it in a three-part series:
Part
I: School Districts Find Loopholes in No Child Left Behind (8/14/07)
Part
II: Failing San Diego Schools Work to Meet Standards (8/15/07)
Part
III: Teachers Grapple with Attaining Education Law's Goals (8/16/07)
Interactive
Map and Podcasts: Uncover the NCLB "loopholes" in your state, examine
a case study -- Illinois, and hear extended interview with Secretary of Education
Margaret Spellings. April 3, 2007 School
Officials Debate Effectiveness of No Child Left Behind President Bush's
No Child Left Behind education law, passed in 2002 to help close the gap between
advantaged and disadvantaged students, is set to expire this year. Two education
administrators discuss the law and give their views on its effectiveness.
