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No Educator Left Behind is a series providing answers from the U.S. Department of Education to questions about the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how it will affect educators. If you have a question about No Child Left Behind, send an e-mail to Ellen Delisio, and we will submit your question to the Department of Education.

Question:

How much additional work, responsibility, and expense do you expect the No Child Left Behind Act to mean for local school districts?

U.S. Department of Education:

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act represents a sweeping overhaul of federal efforts to support elementary and secondary education. It is designed to improve student achievement and change the culture of our nation's schools. This change in federal education policy and direction is supported by significant increases in resources.

The potential costs and benefits of this regulatory action have been assessed in the final regulations for NCLB and in accordance with Executive Order 12866. The potential costs are those resulting from statutory requirements, and those the U.S. Department of Education has determined are necessary for administering this program effectively and efficiently.

Based on the assessment of the regulatory burden on states, local education agencies (LEAs), and schools, the Department of Education estimates that the total cost of administering the regulations will be $52 million. Of that, the administrative cost to states will be $1.4 million; at the LEA and school levels, the estimated administrative cost is estimated to be $50.6 million. The fiscal year 2002 appropriation for Title I, totaling $10.6 billion, provides a $1.6 billion (18 percent) increase in funds over the previous fiscal year, an increase that will enable states, school districts, and schools to carry out the requirements of the statute.

In comparing the potential costs of implementing these regulations to the $10.6 billion in Title I funds received by states and LEAs, the Department of Education believes that the benefits of the regulations justify the costs.

Read previous questions and answers in our No Educator Left Behind archive.