District Implementation of No Child Left Behind

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act gives new meaning to accountability by providing concrete steps and guidelines for improving student achievement across the board and, especially, in schools identified as “in need of improvement.” Some view NCLB as providing districts with the necessary opportunity for ensuring that every student achieves high standards by 2013-2014; others say it simply adds an unreasonable overlay of roles and responsibilities to an already overburdened system.




WestEd interviewed school district staff and examined documentation from districts nationwide, then convened a group of district leaders to share information and experiences. This Policy Notes examines some of the findings from our research and offers ideas and practices for districts implementing NCLB.