Commentary

A rising economic tide + reform + resources = better results for kids

Much of the academic progress of the NCLB era may have stemmed from dramatically declining child poverty rates. But other things were also happening that deserve credit, like ed reform and more education resources. So it's likely that these three things were a winning combination. The good news is that we’re living in the midst of an economic boom today, and states are opening their wallets again. If policymakers stick with the reform part of this trifecta, it may work as well now as it did twenty years ago.