How Special Education Students are Faring Under No Child Left Behind

The 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB), brought about a dramatic change in the level of attention paid to millions of public school students who historically perform poorly. Its mandate to "close the achievement gap" for specific groups of students—and achieve proficiency for all students in reading and math by 2013-2014 — has provided historic impetus for change.

For one group of students - those who receive special education services —NCLB has provoked discussions that span a wide range of opinions and positions. While much of the impact of NCLB remains to be seen — after all, full implementation only began in the 2005-2006 school year — it's time to take a look at what we know about the rewards and roadblocks for special education students.

The National Center for Learning Disabilities has released this comprehensive report on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and its impact on students who receive special education in our nation's schools — almost half of whom have learning disabilities (LD). It provides a compelling look at how several NCLB requirements have affected this important and often controversial student group. A companion study on State Test Accommodations Policies provides an overview of the variance and validity of these policies. Both reports provide recommendations for the reauthorization of NCLB, now underway in the U.S. Congress.

Download  your FREE copy of Rewards & Roadblocks: How Special Education Students are Faring Under No Child Left Behind.