Ordinarily, when an organization releases a study with the caveat that its sample is “not nationally representative” a national news organization wouldn’t then run a big story on it as somehow indicative of a national trend. But not The New York Times when it’s education and chance to pop No Child Left Behind in the nose.
This new study, while actually very interesting, is not as negative as the NYT story or headline indicate, and is not nationally representative because about 75 percent of the sample is from just four states. In addition, urban districts are underrepresented as are African-American students (substantially). Also, in 7 of the 23 states that make up the sample, only one or two school districts even participate.
The bottom line is that the law is basically three years old, less in the case of many provisions, so it’s just too soon to know if “it’s working”, which is too broad a question anyway.
But while you’re reading The Times, do read this outstanding Freedman column about what Rudy Crew is up to in Miami.