With the No Child Left Behind federal mandate, teachers and school administrators are challenged to provide the best instruction possible in mathematics and reading. Students are required to take the state mandated tests in grades three through eight and in grade ten. The stakes are high in that students may not be passed on to the next higher grade level if a test is not passed in the required grades of testing. If the exit test for graduation is not passed, a student may not receive a high school diploma. The punishments for not passing a test then are indeed very stringent. The best curriculum possible needs to be aligned with the state mandated objectives so that each student may achieve optimally. Mathematics is one of two curriculum areas mandated for testing under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). It behooves the mathematics teacher to provide high quality instruction to all learners. All classifications of students be they mentally handicapped, English as a second language, behaviorally disordered, among others, are required to be counted in on taking the state mandated test. Social promotion is not to be emphasized but test results are, in order for students to be promoted to the next grade level. Measurable results are wanted for the student to demonstrate proficiency in mathematics, as well as in reading. The contents of this manuscript will be delimited to mathematics instruction.