No, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is no longer the active federal education law in Virginia or any other U.S. state. It was superseded by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015.
The Evolution of Federal Education Policy in Virginia
Even before its nationwide replacement, Virginia had a unique relationship with the No Child Left Behind Act.
Virginia's Exemption from NCLB
As of March 2015, Virginia, along with four other states, was granted an exemption from the key and most demanding components of the No Child Left Behind Act. This exemption provided the Commonwealth with significant relief from the more arduous requirements of the then-primary federal education law, which had led to sanctions for many schools across the nation. This meant that even in its final year, Virginia was not fully operating under all the stringent rules of NCLB.
The Replacement of NCLB by ESSA
The No Child Left Behind Act, enacted in 2002, was a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Its primary goals included increasing accountability for states, school districts, and schools, and ensuring that all children, especially those in disadvantaged groups, met state academic standards.
However, NCLB was ultimately replaced when President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law in December 2015. ESSA fundamentally shifted much of the authority over K-12 education policy from the federal government back to the states and local districts.
What ESSA Means for Virginia's Education System
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, states like Virginia are now responsible for:
- Designing Accountability Systems: States develop their own accountability systems to identify and support struggling schools.
- Setting Goals: Virginia sets its own academic goals for student achievement and graduation rates.
- Assessment Requirements: While states are still required to conduct annual statewide assessments in certain grades, they have more flexibility in how those assessments are used.
- Intervention Strategies: States and local districts determine how to intervene in low-performing schools.
This transition from NCLB to ESSA has provided Virginia with greater flexibility to tailor its education policies to meet the specific needs of its students and schools, moving away from a one-size-fits-all federal approach.
For more detailed information on current federal education policy, you can explore resources on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
