Academic Progress: No Child Left Behind? “These reforms express my deep confidence in our public schools and their mission to build the mind and character of every child, of every background, in every part of America.” —President George W. Bush (Summary, 2001). “We like the bill, but this is a question of resources.” —Peter McWalters, Rhode Island education commissioner (Coeyman, 2002). “No child left behind? Everyone hates him. It's a joke. Not obtainable.”—teacher. The No Child Left Behind Act provides incentives for school districts to promote academic progress, but the pressure involved can instead lead low-performing schools to falsify data, teach to pass tests, or promote underprepared students instead of actually improving achievement of students. Schools that do not meet their annual academic progress for two consecutive years will experience a loss of funding, corrective action and may be closed. However, the only way to assess academic progress nationwide is through standardized tests, which have serious limitations as a diagnostic tool. The concept of academic annual progress can lead to bizarre and arbitrary classifications of success and failure. Additionally, some of the remedies prescribed by NCLB may be inadequate. Instead of simply reaffirming the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, President Bush oversaw a complete restructuring. This restructuring, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, decrees that every student will reach the academic level deemed proficient by the 2013-14 school year. Rigorous academic accountability is required to achieve this goal. States still have the responsibility to determine their own state-level assessment programs, but… halfway through the document… same time; the mistake of the principal as the sole instructional leader; the mistake of setting standards on the basis of exceptions; and the failure of uniform standards for all children. The mistake that all children can learn, at the same level and at the same time”. (2002) And if they can't learn, we can switch them from teacher to teacher, from school to school. The law is unfailingly optimistic. This optimism will destroy any effect the reform might have. No Child Left Behind is a sincere attempt to solve a real problem: the academic achievement gap between the children of the haves and the have-nots in this country. Unfortunately, the law provides a rigid timetable and list of sanctions and punishments without providing schools under siege with solid, concrete examples of how to implement these reforms..