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 does the Supreme Court decision upholding vouchers relate to the school choice option in the No Child Left Behind Act -- or does it?

U.S. Department of Education:

Currently, no provision exists in the No Child Left Behind Act for allowing students to transfer from failing public schools to private schools. The No Child Left Behind Act only authorizes parents of children who attend an under-performing school to transfer them to a public school that is not under-performing within the same school district. The Bush administration believes, however, that parents should be empowered to select the best school for their children and, as Secretary of Education Rod Paige often says, choice is a necessary condition for real reform.

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