Ted Kennedy (1932-2009) and George W. Bush (born 1946) helped shepherd the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 into law. Bush proposed the sweeping education reform bill shortly after taking office, and Kennedy was a co-sponsor of the Senate bill and helped it gain passage. NCLB touts standards-based education reform on the belief that high standards and measurable goals can improve individual education outcomes. The act requires states to develop basic skills assessments that are given at specific grade levels in order to receive federal funding. Achievement standards, however, are established by each state.
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