This letter to the editor by the Secretary's Regional Representative Chlouber appeared in the Coloradoan on February 13, 2007.

Contrary to what M.L. Johnson would have your readers believe ("Erase mistake of NCLB," Feb. 2 Soapbox), the sky is not falling. No Child Left Behind has been—and will continue to be—focused on ensuring that the children who have historically been left behind are given a chance for success. That's what Americans want. Has the law been underfunded, as the writer charges? Not at all. Total federal education funding for Colorado has increased 89 percent since 2001. For the seventh year, Colorado will receive $6 million for state tests.

Above-average students have hardly been negatively affected by NCLB. In fact, our recent National SMART grants specifically target these students—$790 million in new grants so far, with $122 million on tap to train teachers in high-poverty high schools to teach Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses.

In addition, the president's new budget release this week aims to increase the Academic Competitiveness grants by 50 percent. We recognize that special needs students deserve special consideration, and we are sensitive to parents who want their child to reach his or her full potential. Within the past seven years, Colorado has received more than $900 million to assist school districts in serving special needs students, a 69 percent increase since 2001.

NCLB has proven successful in helping to close our nation's achievement gap between disadvantaged and minority students and their peers. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, more reading progress was made from 1999-2004 than in the previous 28 years combined. Math scores for young children have reached new heights. No Child Left Behind is working and it helps kids. Let's collaborate on ideas to improve and expand NCLB for all of Colorado's kids.

Patricia Chlouber
Secretary's Regional Representative, Region VIII
Denver, CO