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Reauthorizing ESEA: Congress' Role in Improving Assessments, Accountability, and Teaching Effectiveness

Will 2015 be the year Congress is finally able to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act? Debate continues over some of the law's key components, including the appropriate federal role in mandating annual assessments, leveraging state accountability, and maximizing teaching effectiveness.

Research from the RAND Corporation can help answer the difficult questions confronting federal policymakers as they work to reauthorize ESEA, better known as No Child Left Behind.

Join RAND experts as they discuss

how to balance the burdens of testing with the benefits of measuring student learning;
the limitations of current accountability policies and how a reauthorized ESEA can promote more effective policies; and
how to measure and promote high-quality teaching and support school improvement.

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Exploring the No Child Left Behind Act
In 2001, Congress reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act under a new name: No Child Left Behind (NCLB). NCLB established new requirements for public schools, including changes to testing, teacher qualifications, and federal fund allocation. RAND research continues to explore the impact of this legislation and inform public debate.