Cynthia Sytsma

Impact of No Child Left Behind: Graduation, Suspension, and Expulsion Rates Cynthia Sytsma

Public education is experiencing increased demands to raise student performance on the standardized assessments used to measure a student?s, or school?s, targeted annual yearly progress score. This comparative quantitative study, based on Dewey?s theory of education, placed emphasis on student-centered learning, socialization, and the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This study involved an analysis of whether or not a significant difference exists between the graduation, suspension, and expulsion rates from 2000-2001 and 2005-2006 in San Diego County and the review of the data and comments by a panel of teachers. A review of the literature found no studies that looked at suspension and expulsion rates and only 3 that looked at graduation rates before implementation of NCLB to after its implementation. The final conclusions, drawn after all data were analyzed and interpreted, revealed a significant decrease in graduation rates, a negative result, and no significant changes in suspension and expulsion rates from before to after the implementation of NCLB. This study provides no evidence of the effectiveness of NCLB.