Definition: NCLB stands for No Child Left Behind which refers to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a federal law passed under the George W. Bush administration. NCLB represents legislation that attempts to accomplish standards-based education reform. The law and its subsequent implementation have grown to be a very controversial issue in Education.
The law reauthorized federal programs meant to hold primary and secondary schools measurably accountable to higher standards. It also provided more opportunities to parents for school choice and placed a greater emphasis on reading in schools. NCLB is written so that it requires 100% of students (including special education students and those from disadvantaged background) within a school to reach the same set of state standards in math and reading by the year 2014.
One of the main criticisms of NCLB is that it forces teachers to lower their overall educational goals and "teach to the test."
