This op-ed by Secretary Rod Paige appeared in The Detroit News on September 3, 2004.

The News needs to do some more homework on the No Child Left Behind law ("No Child Left Behind Act Fails to Deliver," Aug. 20). Virtually everything in the editorial constituted a blatant misreading of the law.

For example, the federal government has not taken over the schools. States and localities maintain control. They set the standards for achievement and testing. The new law only asks that they set such standards and that they have accountability plans in place. And last year, for the first time in history, all 50 states had approved plans in place, a landmark in education reform.

Also, the federal government does not set the standard for what "defines" high-quality teachers. The states do that. But the law does ask that every child must have a high-quality teacher in every classroom. That is not unreasonable.

The News indicated that most states are on their way to meeting most of the standards. We do expect complete compliance. But even if states have met only "75 percent" so far (The News' view), that is a tremendous achievement in just two years. Such progress, once unthinkable, will translate into millions of children receiving a more successful and inclusive education. For example, since No Child Left Behind has been implemented, Detroit Public Schools students have shown marked improvement in reading, according to a recent study. Twenty percent more fourth graders and 10 percent more seventh graders now meet or exceed state standards.

Finally, you talk about "unfunded mandates." There are no such mandates in the law, and five independent studies, including two by the General Accountability Office (GAO), agree with that view. The president has set federal funding for education at $57 billion for fiscal year 2005, a 36 percent increase since he assumed office. President George W. Bush made a promise and delivered on that promise—the resources are there to get the job done.

This law is already making a powerful, profound difference for children in Michigan and millions of students across the country. The only "mandate," if there is one, is to get students reading and doing math at grade level.

Rod Paige
U.S. Secretary of Education
Washington, D.C.