The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) represents a dramatic expansion of the federal role in education and has profound implications for schools across the country and in Massachusetts. The Center for Education Research & Policy at MassINC selected and interviewed ten superintendents from Massachusetts in order to document and communicate their insights and concerns about NCLB's implementation in Massachusetts. The superintendents interviewed represented both large and small urban school districts that have been heavily impacted by NCLB provisions. Interviews focused on the following areas related to NCLB implementation:
- Assessing student progress and holding schools accountable;
- Providing public school choice and supplemental education services;
- Improving the qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals; and,
- Other specific issues identified by the superintendents.
The brief, No Child Left Behind Opportunity or Obstacle for Massachusetts, is intended to clarify selected superintendents' key concerns, as well as suggest some direction for resolving these concerns at the national level.