Since taking office in January 2001, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige has cleared a burdensome backlog of states that were not in compliance with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1994.

"We have made outstanding progress in bringing all states and school districts on board to achieve the goals of President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act," Paige said. "This milestone means that more children in more schools will receive better academic preparation and we will see the progress they have made.

"But today's accomplishment is only the first step in meeting the letter and intent of this groundbreaking law. We will continue to work as a partner with states to reach the president's goals, but will hold firm on states that try to delay or dodge the accountability goals of the new law."

Under the 1994 law, states were required to establish high-quality academic content standards, challenging performance standards, and valid and reliable assessments covering three grade spans—by the 2000-2001 school year. When Paige took office, only 22 states had met this requirement or had a formal plan for achieving it. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, which reauthorized ESEA, all states were required to comply with the 1994 law by April 8, 2002.

During the last year, Paige and the U.S. Department of Education established a partnership with state leaders to ensure that every state has a system in which every educator, school and district is accountable for student achievement. Bringing the remaining states and jurisdictions into compliance puts the department firmly on the path of enforcing greater accountability for student achievement at the local, state and federal levels, Paige said.

Alabama, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Montana and West Virginia now have formal "compliance agreements," Paige announced, which bring the final states into compliance with the 1994 ESEA's standards and assessments requirements and deadlines.

A compliance agreement allows a state to continue to receive federal education funds while it comes into compliance under specific terms, conditions and a timeline spelled out in the written agreement, with three years as the maximum time allowed. A hearing is held in the state to hear evidence that full compliance is not feasible until a future date. The substance of the agreements and the department's findings will be published in the Federal Register. The department will monitor states' progress step by step, and states must provide evidence that they are meeting the timelines set forth in the agreements.

Eighteen states now have fully approved assessments systems under the 1994 law, with New Hampshire's assessments the most recent to gain approval. Twenty-nine states have a formal plan and timeline to fulfill the requirements, and five have compliance agreements.

For more information on No Child Left Behind Act and the accountability provisions, go to: http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/

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