A long article by Diana Schemo in Monday's New York Times outlined some of the ways in which the No Child Left Behind Act is being weakened or skirted by federal, state, and local officials. Several states are moving to ease their standards for academic proficiency to ensure that more children are able to reach them. Principals are not sending letters alerting parents if their children's teachers are not "highly qualified" (while the definition of "highly qualified" is itself being questioned). Many districts are not offering children in failing schools the option to transfer to better schools. (Perhaps in response to this last problem, the U.S. Department of Education this week announced a $600,000 grant to the Black Alliance for Educational Options to develop a public information campaign to reach parents about the choices available to them under the No Child Left Behind Act.) "Law overhauling school standards seen as skirted," by Diana Schemo, The New York Times, October 15, 2002 and "Education Department, BAEO form partnership to reach parents about landmark No Child Left Behind Act," press release, US Department of Education, October 15, 2002
