More Resources Secretary's memo  PDF (25K) | MS Word (73K)

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today gave Congress an 18-month update on the implementation of the historic No Child Left Behind Act -- highlighting the progress made to date and identifying issues and topics that the U.S. Department of Education will focus on during the coming months.

"This tremendous achievement could not have been accomplished without the leadership of the President, the bipartisan support of Congress, and the tireless efforts of state and local leaders across the country," Secretary Paige wrote. "I thank you for your efforts and support. During my four decades working in education, I have never seen such meaningful and effective cooperation between federal, state, and local officials -- all working together toward the common goal of educating every child."

In the memo, Paige details how each state submitted accountability plans and how each state, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia's plans were approved -- a major milestone achieved in record time -- as well as the record federal investments taxpayers are making to help achieve the goals of the law, leaving no child behind. The secretary also shares comments from educators and parents across the country who have embraced the principles of the law and are working hard to implement it in their communities.

Paige briefly outlines the issues his agency will focus on during the coming months: helping states place a highly qualified teacher in every classroom; expanding the opportunities for qualified students to receive tutoring and other supplemental services; and identifying schools in need of improvement and making sure they are getting the assistance they need to get back on track.

For more information about the law, visit www.nochildleftbehind.gov.

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