Progress by Our Schools and the U.S. Department of Education
December 2008



"We can be proud of this record of bipartisan accomplishment. Expectations were raised for what our students can achieve and what our government can get done."
— U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings

As Americans prepare for a change in government, one thing that must not change is the remarkable progress being made by our nation's schools. Schools are expecting more from students. And our students are meeting the challenge.

Test Scores Are Higher:

The Achievement Gap Is Narrowing:

Children Once "Left Behind" Have Made Great Strides Forward:

Progress Is Being Made Compared To Other Nations:

A Quality Education for All: The No Child Left Behind Act

President Bush set the tone for this progress. Upon taking office, he challenged schools to hold all students, regardless of race, income level, background, or zip code, to the same high standards. He vowed to end the "soft bigotry of low expectations" that plagued many schools.

Promises became action with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act [NCLB]. President Bush reached across the aisle, working with Democrats and Republicans as Congress passed the bill by an overwhelmingly bipartisan margin.

Signed into law in 2002, No Child Left Behind set a goal of all children learning to read and do math at grade level or better by 2014, with our schools held accountable for meeting it. While much work remains, we are on the right track.

Under NCLB:

Doing What Works: What Gets Measured Gets Done

No Child Left Behind has spurred a nationwide accountability movement. It has focused our national conversation on education on results. Before NCLB, few states had complete assessment plans in place, and some did not even participate in the Nation's Report Card. We had little objective data to prove whether students were acquiring at least grade-level skills. Today:

To enhance states' ability to use test score data to drive student improvement, the Statewide Longitudinal Data System Grant Program was authorized in 2002. The program is already helping 27 states develop and implement improved data systems, through 3-year grants ranging from $1.5 to $6 million per state.

In addition, federal funding for K-12 education has risen 39 percent since 2001. This includes:

Federal education funds are now focused on what works. The Reading First program is a prime example. More than $6 billion has been invested in proven, research-based strategies to help students learn to read by grade three. Over 1.8 million children, many from low-income families, have been served. In addition:

Recognizing and Rewarding Teachers

Progress is made possible by great teachers. NCLB calls for a highly qualified teacher in every classroom. The Department has invested nearly $3 billion each year to help states meet the requirements, which include state certification and subject-matter knowledge. The percentage of highly qualified teachers rose from 87 percent to 94 percent between the 2003-2004 and 2006-2007 school years.

Continued academic improvement depends on teachers who are highly effective as well as highly qualified. The best teachers must be encouraged to work in the most challenging educational environments. This is key to closing the achievement gap and preparing all students for the demands of the 21st century.

President Bush's groundbreaking Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) is the first federally funded program geared toward rewarding great teachers and principals for outstanding performance. The program also aligns teacher hiring with NCLB's academic achievement goals. Since 2006, nearly $200 million has been awarded to 34 grantees. In addition:

Higher Education That Aims Higher

America's system of higher education has long been recognized as the finest in the world. But our colleges and universities face twin challenges: freshmen unprepared for postsecondary coursework and students unable to afford or gain access to college.

In 2005, Secretary Spellings formed the Commission on the Future of Higher Education. Its report, A Test of Leadership: Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education, called for improved access, particularly for low-income and minority students; affordability, by putting a check on rising tuition costs and making the financial aid system more user-friendly; and accountability, by providing consumers with clear and reliable information about cost and quality.

In September 2006, Secretary Spellings launched the Action Plan for Higher Education. She proposed a number of reforms, including aligning high school standards with college expectations, using the Internet to help families compare schools and receive financial aid, and modernizing state information systems without compromising student privacy.

Two years later, progress has been made on each of these goals:

President Bush has also taken steps to protect student aid from the financial crisis. In 2008, the President signed the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act into law, followed by a one-year extension.

New Choices for a New Century

In many ways, our public education system is trapped in the industrial age. The old, agrarian six-hours-a-day, 180-days-a-year model must be updated for the 21st century. We must use time more efficiently, and use data to customize instruction for individual students. And we must give parents more choices and control over their children's education.

Charter Schools:

Choice:

Supplemental Educational Services (SES):

D.C. Opportunity Scholarships:
Last Modified: 12/19/2008