Differences in American college test performance after seven years of No Child Left Behind reform in an urban school district

This study addressed the effectiveness of No Child Left Behind reform in an urban school district. The researcher obtained American College Test composite scores from a diverse, urban, public school district and a private school within the same city for years 2001 and 2008. Statistical tests were run to determine if seniors' scores were significantly different after the seven years of reform mandated by NCLB. All subgroups measured---including African-Americans, Hispanics, and economically disadvantaged (the subgroups most targeted by the federal law)---performed significantly better in 2008. Gaps in achievement, however, had not narrowed after the seven years of reform.