While the newspapers have abounded with reports of state and school-district concerns about the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Department of Education last week announced the launch of a demonstration project aimed at helping states put the principles of NCLB into action. A $3.5 million grant has been awarded to the Education Leaders Council (ELC) to work with a select number of states and schools to develop integrated accountability and information systems that will boost student achievement and serve as models for other states. The project will provide principals, teachers, and parents with tools to help them use student assessment data to improve instruction and will provide technical assistance to policymakers to help them develop robust accountability plans in compliance with NCLB. The project, for which the ELC has engaged several partner organizations, will be evaluated by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a sister organization to the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. Interested state leaders are invited to apply by July 19. For details see "Secretary Paige Announces $3.5 Million Grant to Support No Child Left Behind Demonstration Project," U.S. Department of Education, June 28, 2002. More details are available at www.followingtheleaders.org.
