The recent No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, the most ambitious reform of public education in 38 years, has sparked discussions and dramatic changes in the way young children are taught to read. Here is a collection of sites that will give you an overview of the legislation, controversial issues that it sparks, and spill-over effects on adolescent literacy. Check back often for updates.

Legislation. 
Read the entire legislation or a good summary.

No Child Left Behind – the law
Here is the entire legislation – all 678 pages of it. You can download a .pdf file from this site.

Key Features of NCLB
ASCD has summarized key features of the law, including testing, accountability, teacher quality, reading, state flexibility, and funding. Here is a good synopsis of the legislation.

Reference Sources on NCLB
Here are sites that can help you keep up to date on the latest in NCLB directives, legislation, and news. These are very robust sites with large amounts of data.

The Committee on Education and the Workforce – U.S. House of Representatives
Check here for the latest news on pending legislation at the national level. Click on the NCLB link in the right column. Includes information on “how states are doing.”

Education Commission of the States
The Education Commission of the States has organized a massive database of information on NCLB and literacy. Click on “Is your state on track?” in the right column to access NCLB websites for all the states. Click on “Reading/Literacy” in the left column to find dynamic databases on state literacy programs, recent state activities on literacy, and other reading issues. You can compare states across several issues using these databases.

ASCD Special Report on NCLB
Gathered together all in one place is a vast amount of information on NCLB, including issues such as standards and assessment, teacher quality, NCLB and the states, and various perspectives.

Education Commission of the States- Highly Qualified Teachers
“Meeting NCLB Goals for Highly Qualified Teachers” compares states with regard to majors and credentials of middle school and secondary school teachers. The study finds that “many states have fewer teachers with a major in their assigned field than they did in 1994.” Report available in .pdf file for downloading.

Policies and Pundits
Read what professional organizations and the nation’s journalists have to say about NCLB.

IRA Statement on US Government Policy on the Teaching of Reading

NCLB: Facts and Fiction

Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll on NCLB

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) Challenges the Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll

IRA Statement on Evidence-based Reading Instruction

Adolescent Literacy in the Era of NCLB
Although NCLB’s attention and funding is focused on younger readers, pressure is on middle schools and high schools to perform well on state tests. Adolescent literacy, by default, is becoming a critical issue to the overall success of NCLB. Here are some sites devoted exclusively to adolescent literacy issues.

IRA’s Position Statement on Adolescent Literacy
Review the seven points in the position statement. You can also download the complete statement in .pdf format.

The RAND Report: Achievement for All
Read this comprehensive review of the research on comprehension and its application to older readers.

Alliance for Excellence in Education
The Alliance has as it mission helping at-risk middle and high school students achieve high standards and graduate prepared for college and success in life. Click on “Adolescent Literacy” in the top navigation bar for initiatives especially designed for older readers.

Adolescent Literacy Workshops
Sponsored by NICHD, the National Institute for Literacy and others, a series of workshops explored the need for research into adolescent literacy. Included in the report are reviews of three current adolescent reading intervention programs.

IRA’s Focus on Adolescent Literacy - Research
IRA summarizes current research on adolescent literacy and literacy-across-the-schools efforts.

IRA’s Focus on Adolescent Literacy – Articles
Here are references to articles on adolescent literacy from IRA’s Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. Some articles are available online while others are available for a fee from IRA.