This letter to the editor by the Secretary's Regional Representative Wright appeared in the Ventura County Star on March 18, 2007.

Re: John Walker's March 4 commentary, "Legislation needed so NCLB doesn't leave schools behind":

The straw man at the center of Walker's argument against the No Child Left Behind Act is that it treats all students "exactly the same."

If he means that all children will be taught to achieve to their highest potentials, he's right.

A quality education happens in the classroom. That is where No Child Left Behind has had the greatest impact. NCLB leverages federal support of education by encouraging increased accountability in exchange for significant new resources—nearly $3 billion for California alone, a 56 percent increase since 2001. This funding supports proven instructional methods, teacher training and annual assessments to determine academic progress, based on standards developed by each state.

Under NCLB, states maintain their historic and primary authority over education. States develop standards and annual assessments. States and schools test their students and use the data to see what is and is not working, and which students are and are not learning.

In return, parents and teachers get accurate, up-to-date information so students' individual needs can be met. And all Americans get the knowledge that schools are teaching their students to read and do math at grade level or better—the very purpose of a public education.

Secretary Margaret Spellings looks forward to working with Congress this year to make common-sense changes to NCLB, including giving schools more credit for student progress over time. But we will not violate its core principles of higher standards, greater accountability and focused resources.

This is the impact of NCLB—and it's a positive one.

Christopher Wright
Secretary's Regional Representative, Region IX
San Francisco, CA