Leaving Behind No Child Left Behind

Authors Carmel Martin and Scott Sargrad argue that while the Every Student Succeeds Act is not perfect, it moves beyond the No Child Left Behind Act toward strengthening the nation's schools and helping all children succeed.

After three failed attempts since 2007 to replace No Child Left Behind, this week the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a compromise bill – the Every Student Succeeds Act – by a bipartisan vote of 359-64. The bill’s passage clears the way for a Senate vote next week, and means it will likely be signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Of course, passing a law is only something to celebrate if the law will help move the country forward. A law replacing NCLB must support improved outcomes for all students, but particularly students who have been historically underserved by the education system: poor students, students of color, students with disabilities, and English language learners. While the Every Student Succeeds Act certainly isn’t perfect, it will move us beyond the outdated NCLB and provides a path towards strengthening our nation’s schools.

The above excerpt was originally published in U.S. News & World Report. Click here to view the full article.

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.