There's numerous hidden evils in the NCLB law. One effect that is becoming increasingly documented is that, because schools that do not measure up risk losing millions in federal aid, school administrators are starting to ENCOURAGE the school's most problematic students to drop out, this being one of the easiest ways to get the school's scores up. See, e.g., http://www.fairtest.org/care/High-Stakes_Test-Based_Accountability.html.
A far more subtle fault lies hidden in the methodolgy of testing. Most parents think of tests as the kind of test they had when they were in school - basic proficiency tests, designed to assess whether the student has mastered a certain minimum level of knowledge or skills. The support for the law relies on this fundamental misapprehension. This is not the type of tests being used for NCLB or other "high stakes" testing. These tests are intentionally designed to disciminate among differences in skill levels. Here in NY, a recent NY regents math exam which produced a huge public outcry was specifically designed knowing that at least half of the students would fail, because it was deliberately designed to determine levels of ability and knowledge, not simply measure basic mastery of basic material (NY students must pass Regents exams to recieve a HS diploma, and the dropout rate in NYC public schools is aready almost 50%. There is mounting evidence that suggests that failing the 10th grade high stakes test leads directly to large numbers of dropouts.) This testing methodolgy enables the fedgov and educational bureacrats to determine not just school average scores, to see whether the school as a whole is accomplishing basic mastery, but to see how different ethnic/racial/income subgroups compare to one another. Schools are then held accountable for the fact that some subgroups are functioning far below the highest levels achieved by other subgroups (the school is not achieving educational equality of results!) - essentially the Lake Wobegone standard - that not all students are above average. The school then faces the prospect of being put on probation and losing substantial federal aid unless it improves the results. Adminstrators then put pressure on teachers to somehow fix it because surely, it must be their fault. It's quickly turning into an epic disaster. Google "high stakes testing" and you will find lots of information about the unfolding horror.
