No Child Left Behind is, undeniably, imperfect in design and execution. The biggest flaw is the mishmash measure that is the centerpiece of its accountability scheme, the one that gauges whether students, schools and school districts are making Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP.

* No Child Left Behind forced attention on teacher quality by mandating that all core academic classes be taught by teachers who have bachelor's degrees and, within three years, earn state licenses. Until the law raised the bar, some districts, including Hampton, found ways to keep on teachers who couldn't pass the certification exam (which is just a high school level test). A lot of "improvement" came when Virginia redefined "highly qualified" to include more teachers, but the federal law also forced schools to stop hanging on to teachers who couldn't meet standards.

The argument that No Child Left Behind imposes unfunded mandates is largely a smokescreen. Many of the things that are required to improve education don't cost a lot of money. Instituting high expectations -- of all children, no matter their race or background - - doesn't take money. Neither does establishing nurturing school environments. Aligning curriculum with standards and tests is a one- time expense. Putting real instructional leaders in principals' offices isn't primarily a financial issue, nor is using engaging teaching methods in classrooms. And No Child Left Behind did bring extra money for reading, tutoring and other interventions.