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No child left behind program is under overhaul by the President. This program benefited many schools no doubt, but was offered without really asking for progress and plans.

School accountability system failed miserably. One third of the schools under this scheme did not achieve their annual targets but made great gains. This program was initiated to encourage schools to aim at improving annual test scores to enable every single student to do math and to read by the year 2014 on grade level.

There is a proposal by the President to judge schools according to their levels and judge the progress and growth of students every year. Rewards and incentives will be offered for schools that perform well. Consequences including intervention have to be faced by schools that fail to achieve their goals.

These changes may be a great challenge for schools that deal with students with special needs and struggle to bring them into the mainstream as there is a wide gap in achievement between them and the normal students. Oshkosh West and Oshkosh North came under fire this year for underperforming and were asked to start closing the gaps.

There is a strong sense of optimism and positive interest towards President Obama’s proposal from the local school leaders.

According to the assessment and school improvement director of the Oshkosh district, Michelle Ring, change brings in opportunities. Instead of just giving attention to a single test score, change brings about a situation that is growth oriented.

Wisconsin Students from grade 3 to 5 take the Knowledge and Concepts Exam every fall and as high school sophomores which enables the Federal government to track the progress of their schools.

According to Arne Duncan, the education secretary, No Child Left Behind program, though a wonderful initiative, especially for children who need help does not reward progress. The recent budget plans includes these vital changes whereby the President will reward and recognize schools if there is an improvement in kids.

Meetings are being held by the administration officials with various education groups to discuss their goals.  There is no way this administration will give up on trying to get schools to perform better, according to the president of the educational trust, Kati Haycock.

No Child Left Behind was championed by former President George W. Bush and became a law in the year 2002. This program is ripe for an overhaul and President Obama expresses hope that a new law will be passed this year by the Congress.

Critics of course find reasons to argue and point out to the fact that focusing on math and reading tests have pushed subjects like art and music to the background. They also complain that schools did not receive the promised dollars.

The new budget and education group meetings address issues like measuring teachers through student improvement statistics and ensuring disadvantaged students get experienced teachers. President will also focus on driving schools and states to do better by making Federal education spending more competitive in nature.

President is leaving no stones unturned in improving the overall academic standards by pushing states to do better as is evident with his budget which says money will be offered to states to align science and math teaching with excellent standards.