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Show THE "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT ITS EFFECTS ON UTAH IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE Brent L. Pace, (James J. Gosling) Department of Political Science Elementary and secondary education policy matters consistently top the political agenda for lawmakers in Utah. As Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2001, the federal government began to take a more assertive role in educational policymaking than it had ever taken before. In this study I examine the effects that NCLB is having upon the schools and school districts of the State of Utah, and project what the future effects of the No Child Left Behind Act will be if the law is left un-amended. To ensure that the effects of NCLB on Utah are not atypical, school districts in Nevada, California, and Texas were also evaluated. This study examines the laws effects by evaluating standardized test scores (as required under NCLB) through the mechanism of Adequate Yearly Progress, as well as through personal interviews with school and district level educational officials as well as state and local government administrators. Brent L Pace Dept. of Political Science Faculty Sponsor James J. Gosling {119} |