The 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) increased federal involvement in America’s public schools by mandating state-imposed sanctions on schools failing to meet state-determined standards. Through NCLB, the federal government requires students in grades 3 through 8 to take standardized tests in reading and math. The law’s legitimacy rests on the idea that rigorous testing, followed by firm assessments and accountability standards, are necessary to bring the least achieving students--a group heavily weighted toward minority populations--up to an acceptable educational level. With NCLB reauthorization pending before Congress, there is, however, much debate as to whether this legislation has improved outcomes for poorly performing students or merely added another layer of bureaucracy to the public school system.

A new study coauthored by University of Chicago economist Derek Neal provides information about the law’s impact. Using Chicago public school data, the authors compared test-score outcomes among students before and after the implementation of NCLB. By measuring the performance of students tested under NCLB relative to control groups that are similar with respect to prior achievement, they are able to isolate the effects of NCLB on test scores of specific student groups. Following his presentation, Neal will discuss with AEI scholar Charles Murray, Doug Mesecar of the Department of Education, Susan Traiman of The Business Roundtable and legislative analyst Katherine Haley, the challenges and obstacles involved in creating an accountability system with incentives for students of all ability levels.