This letter to the editor by Mary Cohen, Secretary's Regional Representative in Region VII, appeared in the Columbia Daily Tribune (Missouri) on April 17, 2007.

Editor, the Tribune: I read with considerable interest Joyce Hulett's article "Children left behind with act's mandate," published March 30.

While I appreciate Hulett's experience and advice as a teacher, I cannot agree with her view of the No Child Left Behind Act. In fact, her comments leave one with the impression that public education was doing just fine until NCLB came along.

Let's look at the facts: According to the Nation's Report Card, reading scores remained stagnant for fourth-graders throughout the 1990s. Achievement gaps in math grew ever wider between black and Hispanic students and their white classmates. In fact, some schools were abdicating their responsibility to provide even a basic education to all.

No Child Left Behind's philosophy of high standards and accountability was designed to lift achievement levels and make disadvantaged students more visible so that teachers could help them. Five years later, reading and math scores are at all-time highs for young students, and achievement gaps have finally begun to close.

Of course, no law is perfect. President George W. Bush's proposal to reauthorize NCLB would make sensible changes such as measuring individual student progress and improving assessments for students with disabilities and English language learners. Coupled with a 74 percent increase in federal education funding for Missouri since 2001, this will make the law more flexible and workable without destroying the intent.

Yes, one size does not fit all. But all students deserve the same chance to learn reading and math - the prerequisite to becoming a successful adult.

Mary Cohen
Secretary's Regional Representative
Region VII
U.S. Department of Education