Reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind policy offers a rare
opportunity to improve public education. The scheduled 2007
reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act opens a window
of opportunity for those concerned about public education. For
the past six years, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) has
tried to implement the omnibus act with mixed success, and has
often turned a deaf ear to concerns of state officials charged
with its implementation. Within the education industry, a
cacophony of strident complaints and defenses, condemnations and
praises, conspiracy theories and dismissals has been non-stop
since its passage in 2002. The reauthorization process allows
for adjustments to existing policies and an opportunity for
local and state-level policymakers to rise above the cacophony,
and offer a set of well-considered revisions for consideration.
This article offers some suggestions for policymakers as they
consider possible revisions to NCLB. First, it is important to
state that NCLB has so