Washington, DC – The Business Coalition for Student Achievement (BCSA), representing business leaders from every sector of the economy, today celebrated gains in student achievement on the sixth anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). BCSA supports improving the performance of the K-12 education system in the United States to provide a strong foundation for both U.S. competitiveness and for individuals to succeed in our rapidly changing world. BCSA reiterated its commitment to working with Congress and the Administration to strengthen and reauthorize the law this year, based on its long-term and continuing commitment to standards-based education reform.

“Over the past six years, we have seen great gains in student achievement brought about by NCLB’s rigorous accountability measures,” said Jacque Johnson, Executive Director, Education and Workforce Development Policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and spokesperson for BCSA. “NCLB has been working to ensure that our nation’s students graduate equipped with the skills to succeed in an increasingly competitive international economy.”

“Business leaders know that a quality education is critical for a competitive American workforce in the 21st-century economy," said Susan Traiman, Director of Education and Workforce Policy for the Business Roundtable and spokesperson for BCSA. “Regrettably, criticism of NCLB dominates the campaign trail, perpetuating myths about the law’s impact and ignoring its accomplishments.  Over the past six years, NCLB has helped narrow the achievement gap, showing that every student has the ability to succeed.”

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The Business Coalition for Student Achievement – representing business leaders from every sector of the economy – is committed to supporting policies that improve the performance of the K-12 education system in the United States. The Coalition is co-chaired by Craig R. Barrett, Chairman of Intel; Arthur F. Ryan, Chairman of Prudential Financial, Inc.; and Edward B. Rust Jr., Chairman and CEO of State Farm, and is coordinated by Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce