Mapping the landscape of high-stakes testing and accountability programs

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires states to test more, set more ambitious improvement goals for their schools, and increase sanctions for schools that fail to meet these goals. To gain an understanding of the potential impact of the new law, this article describes the types of state assessment and accountability policies that were in place at the time the U.S. Congress enacted the NCLB Act, and how selected school districts in eight states responded to these policies. It concludes by identifying four challenges facing states and school districts as they implement the NCLB Act.