Education Standards Threatened

Some state officials and education experts said that is the latest example of how the federal law doesn't take into account the realities of public education, especially in urban districts. For example, students in failing schools are supposed to be able to transfer to other campuses, but often there is no space available. And all teachers are supposed to be "highly qualified" within four years, but some districts have trouble filling their worst schools with anyone other than rookies.

McWalters and several state education chiefs said they applaud Congress for its ambitious goal of 100% proficiency. Still, as the Rhode Island education commissioner asks, "Is it doable?"

The Bush administration has answered yes--with the right effort.

Federal officials said the "No Child Left Behind" law should inspire educators to reexamine everything from how they spend money to what they teach.

Ultimately, the officials said, the law aims to close the achievement gap that separates higher performing whites and Asians from their African American and Latino peers. That problem has persisted despite the federal government's pumping more than $100 billion into schools serving the most disadvantaged children since the mid-1960s.

"The status quo is unacceptable," said Eugene Hickok, undersecretary in the U.S. Department of Education. "We need to rethink the way we deliver education in this country. That is the bottom line to this law."

Under the law, schools must make measurable annual progress toward the 100% goal. States also must show steady improvement for each major ethnic group, as well as for low-income students.

Educational researchers who have studied the law said the 100% goal will not be achievable within 12 years, especially in states that have set a high bar for proficiency and those that serve large numbers of English learners and special education students.

These experts said most states have shown only modest progress over the last decade on a separate, rigorous test known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

"It's not workable," said Robert Linn, co-director of the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing. "It's hard to see how we would suddenly increase [scores] three- or fourfold just because this law has passed."