On January 8, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Promising to provide the same educational benefits to all children irrespective of race class or location, NCLB was nearly universally applauded for its lofty goals: high standards, accountability for results, local control, and parental choice were the stated benefits of the bill.

As always seems to be the case, however, the devil is in the details. Acting on the well-intentioned bill requires far more than simply setting forth a goal. It requires an accurate assessment of what needs to be adjusted to reach the goal, and truly empowering people to take those steps. And it appears NCLB has fallen victim to realpolitik by way of the difference between authorized funding and the funds actually appropriated.