Urban Schools Coalition Reaffirms Support
For 'No Child Left Behind' on One-Year Anniversary

WASHINGTON,  Jan. 6  --  The Council of the Great City Schools, the coalition of the nation's largest urban public school systems, reaffirms its support for "No Child Left Behind" on the one-year anniversary of the  federal law.

"No Child Left Behind" is more important and more relevant today than it was even a year ago, indicated Council Executive Director Michael Casserly.

"The Act's emphasis on results, accountability, regular assessments, coherent professional development, research-based instruction, supplementary services, and high teacher quality continues to be on the mark," stressed Casserly.

A recently released study by the Council and the independent research firm Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC) articulated the factors that research was showing produced results in big-city school systems - factors that tracked well with the main components of "No Child Left Behind."  Critical to this improvement was the ability of school districts to provide a "laser-like focus on student achievement."

The Council also re-emphasized its commitment to fully implementing the year-old Act and to working with the U.S. Department of Education as inevitable problems arise.  Big-city school systems continue to be in the first throes of putting the Act into operation and urge Congress' increased investment in it, Casserly indicated. 

 "The nation's urban school systems continue to show strong gains in student achievement.  We expect that the Act will accelerate our progress in the years to come."