Introduction: No Child Left Behind, Symbolism or Reality?

Abstract

This chapter reviews the rationale for the text and reflects on the contents of the text. This text was motivated by the issues based upon implementation of the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal education statute. The NCLB Act and other related program designed to help education urban and minority enrolled in Title I programs of NCLB with white children. NCLB applies only to local Title I schools; however, the Act allows individual states to determine the number of Title I schools and the number of subgroups to be assessed using standardized tests. The Text is divided into two sections: Educational Equity and Process and Research. The first section on educational equity discusses the policy implication of NCLB and its history and the second section examines avenues on how to effectively implement programs under Title I and other requirements under NCLB. The authors explore the federal government's efforts to close the achievement gap between different sub-population of students under NCLB. Today, global economic rules and the country's population have changed. Economic globalization demands a better-educated workforce and the new economic players are already making American pay for an increasingly less competitive work force. NCLB has been with us for 40 years with the aim of closing the achievement gap between minority students and white students; and the achievement gap continues 50 years later. These 20 chapters by national and international scholars and educators provide educators, policy makers and government officers with current information and research needed to make improved decisions on closing the achievement gap; and hopeful improve the life of our citizens.

Citation

Brown, F. and Hunter, R.C. (2006), "Introduction: No Child Left Behind, Symbolism or Reality?", Brown, F. and Hunter, R.C. (Ed.) No Child Left Behind and other Federal Programs for Urban School Districts (Advances in Educational Administration, Vol. 9), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. xv-xviii. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1479-3660(06)09022-6