What is the No Child Left Behind Act?
The ‘No Child Left Behind’ (NCLB) Act is a Federal law passed in January 2002. The NCLB provision regarding teacher qualifications requires school districts to make sure that all teachers in core subjects meet the new Federal standards by the end of the 2005-2006 school year (Highly Qualified). This law is in effect today. It also requires districts to make information available to parents about teacher qualifications, and to notify parents if any of their children’s teachers do not yet meet the new NCLB standards.
President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 into law on January 8, 2002 after months of debate in Congress and the educational community. The law sets deadlines for states to expand the scope and frequency of student testing, revamp their accountability systems and guarantee that every teacher is qualified in their subject area. The act requires states to make demonstrable annual progress in raising the percentage of students proficient in reading and math, and in narrowing the test-score gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. The law increases funding in several areas, including K-3 reading programs, before and after-school programs, and provides states with greater flexibility to use federal funds as they see fit. All core academic classes — such as math and English — must be taught by qualified teachers. This requirement would mean a teacher has at least a bachelor’s degree, has received state certification and has demonstrated subject-area competency. T
