Government Relations: No Child Left Behind

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In 2007, the No Child Left Behind Act is up for Reauthorization, and AEP is preparing its members to help reshape key elements of that legislation. Visit here daily for the latest news and information you’ll need to mobilize around this effort, unite with other members in our call to action, and talk back to teachers, students and legislators about the information and perspective you’ll only get here.

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Support Fading for NCLB But Not the Principles Behind It

August20, 2008—The second annual Education Next-PEPG Survey of Public Opinion (Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University) showed that while in 2007 57 percent of Americans supported renewing NCLB in its current form, only 50 percent do in 2008. Of the people surveyed, public school teachers were the least likely to advocate keeping the law intact. Only 26 percent of teachers suggested renewing the act with minimal changes, 33 percent suggested that Congress completely overhaul the act, and 42 percent said the act should not be renewed at all. However, the survey authors contend that the phrase "No Child Left Behind" is polarizing--also suggested by Lisa Graham Keegan, a representative for Senator McCain, who spoke at the AEP Great American Education Forum.

While some respondents were asked by name about No Child Left Behind, others were randomly given the same question with the words "federal legislation" substituted for NCLB. In that case in 2007, 71 percent said the legislation should be renewed with minimal changes--an increase of 14 percent compared to those who had the phrase No Child Left Behind. For 2008, though, only 7 percent more were supportive of the existing law when asked about federal legislation as opposed to NCLB. (The report does not postulate whether more Americans are now familiar with NCLB and thus would understand that "federal legislation" refers to the act.) More important for legislators and presidential candidates, though, is the fact that 69 percent believe in an underlying principle that schools should be held accountable through standards and tests.

Finally, while acknowledging that education has not been a widely spoken about topic during the campaigns, the survey did find that 61 percent believe that Democrats have a better education record and are more likely to improve schools.