Study Shows Student Achievement Moving in Right Direction, But More Needs to be Done, Says Chairman Miller

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today on a new report from the Center on Education Policy that shows gains in student achievement since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind law.

“This study offers initial evidence that the hard work of teachers, principals and school administrators across the country is beginning to pay off.  But there is more work to be done. Even with this progress, we still have a long way to go to close the academic achievement gap.  

“The study is useful as Congress works to make significant improvements to the law.  Our reauthorization bill must give educators the resources and flexibility they need to accelerate these gains in reading, math and science and close the achievement gap once and for all. 

“Nothing is more important to our country than providing each and every child with a first-rate education.”

The CEP study used data from all 50 states and found gains in students’ reading and math proficiency and the narrowing of the achievement gap among groups of students since implementation of NCLB.

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