Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP - The authors listed the following three points as their main findings: (1) Since 2005, test scores have increased in most states with sufficient data; (2) Within the same state, trends on NAEP usually moved in the same direction as trends on state tests; (3) Gains on state tests tended to be larger in size than gains on NAEP. Naomi Chudowsky and Victor Chudowsky, Center on Education Policy, September 2010) Document must be accessed from CEP home page as no direct link available to PDF. ...

What Can We Learn from the Implementation of No Child Left Behind? - While NCLB has generally succeeded in its intent, the flexibility it provides has led to a fragmented accountability system, results in different expectations for students and teachers and some unintended behaviors. District and school improvement activities have occurred, but progress to date suggests that the goal of 100 percent proficiency in reading and math by 2014 is unattainable. Parents have not responded in great numbers either to school choice or to receiving supplemental educational services options. (Rand, 2010)...

State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08, Part 2: Is There a Plateau Effect in Test Scores? - Drawing from their database of reading and math test results from all 50 states going back as far as 1999, the authors looked for evidence of a plateau effect in 55 trend lines from 16 states with six to ten years of consistent test data. This report outlines those findings. (Naomi Chudowsky and Victor Chudowsky, Center on Education Policy, July 2009)...

Title I Implementation—Update on Recent Evaluation Findings - This report includes new data from both the National Longitudinal Study of NCLB and the Study of State Implementation of Accountability and Teacher Quality Under NCLB. This new report also includes updated data from consolidated state performance reports, including student achievement on state assessments, school and district identification for improvement and highly qualified teachers. Pages 80-86 and 93 provide state-by-state data. (U.S. Department of Education, January 2009)...

Instructional Time in Elementary Schools: A Closer Look at Changes for Specific Subjects - As a follow up to a previous survey, this report examines the magnitude of changes in instructional time in elementary schools since No Child Left Behind was enacted. This report found a significant increase in time devoted to reading and math instruction and a shift away from other subjects such as social studies, science, art and music and physical education. (Center on Education Policy, February 2008) ...

The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: A Progress Report - This report documents changes in student outcomes, professional practices and policy in response to NCLB and IDEA, with a particular focus on ten states. In general, students with disabilities appear to be doing better academically and to be graduating with diplomas and certificates at higher rates than in prior years. However, dropout rates among these students remain a concern. The report offers recommendations to address issues related to students with disabilities. (National Council on Disability, January 28, 2008)...

Accountability Incentives: Do Schools Practice Educational Triage? - Increasingly frequent journalistic accounts report that schools are responding to NCLB by engaging in what has come to be known as “educational triage.” Although these accounts rely almost entirely on anecdotal evidence, the prospect is of real concern. To search for evidence of educational triage, the author analyzed three years of test-score and other data on 300,000 students in public schools in a western state. (Matthew Springer, Education Next, Winter 2008)...

State and Local Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act - Based on findings from two federally funded studies - the Study of State Implementation of Accountability and Teacher Quality Under NCLB and the National Longitudinal Study of NCLB - this report describes state, district and school progress in implementing NCLB accountability provisions. The report examines state assessments, adequate yearly progress results and school performance efforts. (Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education by RAND Corp. and AIR, 2007)...

Reading First: Locally Appreciated, Nationally Troubled - The federal Reading First program is widely credited by state and local officials for lifting student achievement, according to this report. Further, the program’s impact is felt far beyond the participating schools. Similarly, states reported that more than 3,000 non-Reading-First districts participated in state-led Reading First professional development. (Caitlin Scott, Center on Education Policy, October 31, 2007)...

Answering the Question That Matters Most: Has Student Achievement Increased Since No Child Left Behind? - Using testing data from all 50 states, this study addresses two key questions regarding No Child Left Behind: has student achievement increased and have achievement gaps narrowed since the law was enacted? Overall, the answer to both questions is “yes,” but progress varies by subject, grade and student group. The report notes, however, that the gains cannot be attributed directly to NCLB since considerable reform efforts have been underway prior to and since 2002. (Center on Education Policy, May 2007) ...

National Assessment of Title I: Interim Report to Congress - This report focuses on implementation of key Title I provisions related to state assessments, accountability, school choice and supplemental educational services, and teacher quality, as well as examining trends in student achievement. The report draws on data from two evaluations of NCLB implementation conducted by the department, the National Longitudinal Study of NCLB and the Study of State Implementation of Accountability and Teacher Quality Under NCLB, both of which collected data in the 2004-05 school year. The report also includes data from earlier studies, state performance reports, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, and other sources. Full report available here. (Stephanie Stullich, Elizabeth Eisner, Joseph McCrary and Collette Roney, U.S. Department of Education, February 2006)...