No Child Left Behind Act

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), enacted in 2001, was a U.S. law aimed at improving public education. It required states to set academic standards and conduct annual testing in reading and math for students in grades 3-8 and once in high school. Schools had to show progress in student performance, with the goal of closing achievement gaps among different groups. If schools did not meet these standards, they faced penalties. While the law aimed to improve education equity, it faced criticism for its heavy emphasis on standardized testing and its impact on teaching practices.