No Child Left Behind in Art?

In June 2004, three out of four public schools in Florida failed to meet a new federal standard for school improvement, including one arts school that had earned "A" ratings on statewide tests for 4 consecutive years (Shanklin, 2004). Why are so many schools failing, including "A" schools?

In this article, I explain how the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 is re-reshaping public education in the United States. I identify key terms and regulations in the law and indicate how it is related to a companion Educational Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002.

I first became aware of NCLB by reading Education Week. Early reports on the law were confusing. In pursuit of more …