The effectiveness of the public education system in the United States has always been a pressing matter, subject to continuous debate. In 2001, the sweeping educational reforms of the No Child Left Behind Act sharply divided teachers and policymakers over the direction of our nation's schools. Proponents say the changes increase accountability and open doors to new options for parents of children in failing institutions. Critics charge that the bill's intent and impact are quite different as poor, urban schools are tagged as failures and marked for closure at the same time the students are denied entrance to better-funded, higher-performing schools. Educational Standards clearly and fairly explores both sides of the debate surrounding this critical issue.