Commission on No Child Left Behind

Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation's Children

In February of 2007 the Commission released a blueprint for strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act, Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promise to Our Nation’s Children. In the report, the Commission recommends preserving the law’s core principles while making needed changes to accelerate progress toward achieving its goals, particularly in the areas of teacher and principal effectiveness, robust accountability and data, higher academic standards, stronger high schools, and increased options for students.

Prior to issuing this report, the Commission completed a comprehensive year-long review of the law with extensive public input. The Commission held hearings across the nation, conducted roundtables and small group meetings, and visited schools to hear reactions and comments from those most affected by NCLB. The Commission also took comments via our website, consulted with experts, and studied evidence from a wide range of sources to deepen our understanding of the issues around the law.

Below you will find a summary of our report, our key recommendations, information on NCLB, examples of our recommendations in action, and other background information. 

Summary of Beyond NCLB (PDF)
This document provides a brief report summary.

Key Recommendations
These fact sheets summarize our key recommendations, the rationale behind them, and how they will change current law.

• Accountability Recommendations: Accelerating Progress and Closing Achievement Gaps (PDF)
• Data Recommendations: Driving Progress Through Reliable, Accurate Data (PDF)
• Ensuring That English Language Learners Achieve Academic Success (PDF)
• Ensuring Children with Disabilities Achieve Academic Success (PDF)
• High Schools: Ensuring High Schools Prepare Students for College and the Workplace (PDF)
• School Improvement and Student Options: Moving Beyond the Status Quo (PDF)
• Standards Recommendations: High Standards for Every Student in Every State (PDF)
• Teachers and Principals: Effective Teachers for All Students, Effective Principals for All Communities (PDF)
• FAQs on HQET (PDF)
• Myths and Facts About HQET (PDF)

Recommendations in Action
These profiles are an in-depth look at several districts and schools around the country that exemplify the Commission's recommendations.

• A Profile of the Yough School District, Herminie, Pennsylvania
• A Profile of Washington Middle School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• A Profile of Don Pedro Albizu Campos - P.S. 161, New York, New York
• A Profile of Belt Public Schools, Belt, Montana

Success Stories (PDF)

Discussion Guides
These guides present discussion questions appropriate for each of the following groups in order to further understanding of the law and our recommendations.

• Parents (in Spanish)
• Teachers (in Spanish)
• Principals (in Spanish)
• School Boards (in Spanish)
• Communities (in Spanish)

FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about the report and its recommendations.

Process Fact Sheet (PDF)
This fact sheet summarizes the Commission's outreach efforts during the development of our report.

Research and Data
Follow this link to view our reports, research and data which helped inform our recommendations.

About NCLB

• Summary of the NCLB Commission Report
  This one-page document provides a brief report summary.
• NCLB Law
  View the text of the current law (Public law 107-110)
• Glossary of No Child Left Behind Terms