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The Bridge: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Legal & Social Policy
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Education Reform And The Political Safeguards Of Federalism, Elizabeth J. Sharma
Education Reform And The Political Safeguards Of Federalism, Elizabeth J. Sharma
The Bridge: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Legal & Social Policy
The passage of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2001 sparked widespread controversy over the federal government’s proper role in public education. Opponents criticized the legislation as an unprecedented federal intrusion on state and local governments’ policymaking authority. Whereas previous incarnations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) required local schools and districts to comply with detailed rules about how to spend categorical funds, federal moneys were never before made contingent on a rigorous testing and accountability regime. By requiring annual testing and tying federal funding to student outcomes, the new legislation signaled a shift in the …