Education in the 21st century is subject to standardized testing with financial implications associated with testing. Under continued focus at the federal level to close the socioeconomic achievement gap, equitable distribution of funding is critical to ensure all schools have resources available to offset impacts of low socioeconomic status on…

Beginning with the No Child Left Behind federal legislation, states were required to use data to monitor and improve student achievement. For high schools, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education chose End of Course Exams (EOC) to demonstrate levels of student achievement. The policy changed from school choice of paper-pencil…

This dissertation examines the historical background of federal regulations that have expanded over the past thirty years, and their impact on state legislative resistance to No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The federal government's involvement in public education offers an instructive opportunity for inquiry into cooperative federalism. State…