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The goals of No Child Left Behind were lofty:
By 2014, every student in public education would be reading and performing math at grade level.
But those benchmarks ultimately were unmatched.
The federal law passed in 2002 requires schools to meet annually increasing performance standards or face financial and administrative sanctions.
But its shortcomings have raised a chorus of critics demanding revisions. And the Obama Administration has offered waivers to states since 2012, freeing schools from federally-mandated punishments.
Now, after years of repeated calls to amend or repeal No Child Left Behind fell to partisan gridlock, congressional Republicans have pledged to change the much-maligned education reform measure.
Utah policymakers are optimistic about a revamp to the federal law.
"With the changes in Congress, there is a renewed hope that [the law] can actually be reauthorized and some of the more onerous requirements of No Child Left Behind can be removed," state school board chairman David Crandall said.
The state school board last week passed a resolution urging Utah's federal delegation to sponsor or support efforts to resolve the "impossible" mandates of No Child Left Behind.
The resolution criticized No Child Left Behind and described the waivers offered by the Obama Administration as appealing only when compared to the "systemic and widely-recognized flaws" in the federal law.
According to national media reports, a bill to replace No Child Left Behind is being developed by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., chairmen of the Senate and House education committees, respectively.
In Utah, Rep. Steven Eliason, R-Sandy, told state school board members that he is considering following their lead with a similar resolution during the upcoming legislative session.
And Congresswoman Mia Love in a prepared statement said she supports the state school board's resolution and shares their concern about No Child Left Behind.
"Although I will be focusing my attention on my Financial Services Committee assignment during my first years in Congress, I do care deeply about education," Love said. "I'll do everything I can to build support for more local control among my colleagues as well."
Rep. Rob Bishop, a former high school teacher and longtime critic of No Child Left Behind, said in a statement that federal mandates and intrusion into education are wrong.
"As the law is hopefully reviewed this year in Congress, I look forward to pushing sensible reforms that empower Utah parents and schools and not Washington bureaucrats," he said.
Details of the Alexander-Kline plan have not yet been released. And it is unclear whether the changes will draw a veto threat from President Barack Obama.
On Monday, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said he would work with congressional Republicans to rewrite the law. But his comments also hinted at a difficult road to compromise between the White House and lawmakers.
While both Democrats and Republicans are opposed to No Child Left Behind, there is disagreement about its less punitive measures — particularly the requirement that all students in third through eighth grade be tested annually in math and English.
The testing requirement has led to criticism that U.S. schools are overburdened with assessments. But testing advocates argue that standardized tests have increased accountability.
No Child Left Behind also requires states to break down test scores along racial and demographic lines, which supporters say has exposed the achievement gaps between white and minority students.
"Let me be clear: if we walk away from responsibility as a country – if we make our national education responsibilities optional – we would turn back the clock on educational progress," Duncan said in a Department of Education press release.
Utah has invested millions of dollars in a new testing system, the computer adaptive SAGE test, and annually tests students in grades three through eleven on math, English and science.
Crandall said the information gleaned from testing has been valuable and it would be a mistake to overcorrect and remove all federal testing requirements.
"We have learned a lot from the requirements that we do year-end testing for all students," he said. "Personally, I wouldn't want to lose that."
If No Child Left Behind were to be fully repealed, including the annual testing requirement, Crandall said, it is likely Utah would continue to administer its SAGE test.
But because there is a cost associated with testing, he added, the state school board would need the approval of Utah lawmakers to continue testing students.
"Any changes to that would be done in conjunction with the Legislature," he said.