The President signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) so that testing, accountability, and high standards will join with record new funding to help ensure educational excellence for every child. The early grades are seeing progress across America, but we must finish the job with high schools.

The President's proposals to improve schools include:

• A new high school initiative to help states hold high schools accountable for teaching all students and to provide effective interventions for those students who are not learning at grade level.
• Increasing reading skills for America’s striving readers by providing a focus on improving the reading skills of high school students who read below grade level.
• Accelerating mathematics and science achievement dedicated to support projects to accelerate the mathematics achievement of all secondary students, and especially low-achieving students.
• Accelerating student achievement with Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.
• Promoting Scholastic Achievement with State Scholars.