Letter: No Child Left Behind widely misunderstood

Monday, July 26, 2004 | 8:51 a.m.

Some would like to have it both ways. First, they would have us believe that spending levels set by Congress are inadequate; now they tell us that when schools send back federal dollars unused and unspent, it's nothing unusual and they still need more funds. ("No Child Left Behind Act becomes political football," Las Vegas Sun, July 19). So which is it?

No Child Left Behind is one of the most misunderstood laws in our nation's history. Its provisions for local control, flexibility and state standards have been ignored or given short shrift. There are historic levels of federal funding, yet the money has been dismissed. Now, because states such as Nevada are giving back millions of unspent education dollars to the federal government, some are claiming that that is routine practice. It seems to me that the children are a sidebar in a struggle when they are the only reason for this effort.

Our country now invests more than $500 billion in total on K-12 education at the local, state and federal level. We now spend more on education per pupil on K-12 than any other country except Switzerland. And if you include college expenses, we are the biggest spenders. Yet, our students are about average when compared to European or Asian students. Our educational system itself needed to be revolutionized.

The president deserves great credit for recognizing this problem and addressing it. So, with support from Democrats and Republicans alike, No Child Left Behind became the law of the land. It forces the educational system to be accountable for results. This law is a statement about the value, importance, and potential of all students. It is a promise that no child will be ignored or shoved aside because of race, circumstance, or zip code.

We must focus on the children. A child who receives a better education is a child who will have a future full of opportunities.

ROD PAIGE Editor's note: Rod Paige is the U.S. secretary of education.