No Child Left Behind Law

On June 7th at Cincinnati.com, Denise Smith Amos reported that a new report out says that public school students all across the nation have in general scored higher since the No Child Left Behind law has been enacted.

The national Center for Education Policy, studied standardized test results in 50 states for the years before and after No Child Left Behind, which went into effect in 2002. The center reported that the biggest improvements were found to be in elementary school math. Reading gains also were achieved.

Also the achievement gaps for African-American students and low-income students are improving. However schools still have a long way to go before 100 percent of their students reach proficiency in reading and math, a goal that has been set for the year 2014.

In Ohio it was not possible for researchers to do a before-and-after comparison of student achievement. Ohio has substantially changed its academic standards and state tests since the No Child Left Behind, switching from "proficiency tests" to "achievement tests,' which more closely link to the state's academic standards.
The report shows the percentage of students proficient in Math in reading. The charts are below.

Percentage of Ohio students proficient in reading

Grade 2004 2005 2006
3rd grade 78% 77% 75%
8th grade NA 79% 77%
10th grade OGT 79% 92% 89%

Percentage of Ohio students proficient in math

Grade 2005 2006
3rd grade 70% 75%
8th grade 60% 69%
10th grade OGT 82% 83%