THE IMPACT OF REFORM ON

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

BY SALLY HARVEY-KOELPIN
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Representative George miller of California
and Senator Christopher Dodd, introduced
the NCLB or NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
ACT to congress in May 2001. It became
public law 107-110 in January 2002.
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The passage of this bill was essentially
reenactment of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965. Billed as
an act to close the achievement gap with
accountability, flexibility, and choice so that
no child is left behind.
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The supposed purpose of the NCLB
legislation is to ensure that all children have
a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to
obtain a high quality education, and reach at
a minimum proficiency on state academic
achievement standards, and state academic
assessments.
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This legislation requires the evaluation of
public schools based solely on scores derived
from standardized testing.
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Standardized testing creates a universal
standard for education.
It holds teachers and students accountable.
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Standardized tests make educational
initiatives like No Child Left Behind or the
common core more concrete by checking
students’ academic progress.
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As Mandated by NCLB “Fails to make
adequate yearly progress, if the school fails to
show the yearly progress it will be subjective
to “CORRECTIVE ACTION”, and this
action include the following:
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1. Replace the school staff who are relevant to the

failure to make adequate yearly progress.
2. Institute and fully implement a new curriculum ,
including providing appropriate professional
development for all relevant staff for improving
educational achievement for low-achieving
students and enabling the school to make
adequate yearly progress.
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3. Appoint an outside expert to advise the school on

its progress toward making adequate yearly
progress.
4. Extend the school year or school day for the
school.
5. Restructure the internal organizational structure
of the school.
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WILL NCLB HELP OR HURT

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
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» How will the 100% mastery requirement of NCLB impact

students with disabilities?
» How will NCLB influence teacher’s attitudes toward
students with disabilities if scores are to be disaggregated
and teacher held accountable for student’s test scores?
» How might the requirements of NCLB impact a low-
income urban school’s ability to effectively respond to the
needs of student with disabilities?
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So, the concerned public evaluates whether

NCLB will HELP or HURT students with
disabilities.
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» One of the respondents of the case study believed that “

Yes all children can learn, but not all children can master
required proficiency levels”.
» NCLB did not treat students fairly.
» Standardized testing treats all students equally but not
equitably. Equity in education means equal opportunities
for all students to reach their fullest potential.
» NCLB is not beneficial to special education students, they
will become frustrated.
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These collective voices of urban educators are clearly

telling us that NCLB will not prove to be effective in
providing a higher quality of education for students with
disabilities. In fact, they are telling us that this legislation or
reform may even be harmful to students with disabilities in
the long run.
CONCLUSION 16

Urban educators believed that the legislation contains an

inherent bias against urban schools. According to Kohn
(2000), in planning reforms, it is important to remember
that results should always be evaluated. It must have a
substantial revision or in other words it must have proper
considerations.
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“ For many students with disabilities, the
curricular areas that are being ignored are
the very areas that they find motivating, and
often experience success.”
Cassandra Cole.