Dive Brief:
- Speaking at three-day conference in Texas, former President George W. Bush discussed the current state of education, defending his No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy as an attempt to close the achievement gap.
- Bush was particularly focused on the education gap between minority and white children, saying the current system favors white children and makes it “one of the most urgent civil rights issues of our time.”
- Although Bush defended NCLB — which also aimed to track progress through standardized tests — he admitted that like most legislation it “eventually requires adjustment.”
Dive Insight:
Bush’s speech can feel a bit contradictory. He uses language that is the antithesis of “colorblind” policy — very explicitly calling out the inequalities that exist today — but his former solutions seem to fall into the colorblind territory. As found in a new Columbia report, that can do more harm than good.
While NCLB had good intentions, it ultimately incited the current test-taking frenzy we find ourselves in today. It also is an example of “colorblind” ed reform that aimed to close a gap, but in many ways divided the country and playing field even more.