What was a significant focus of the No Child Left Behind Act in terms of school finance?

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), enacted in 2001, placed a strong emphasis on accountability and performance-based funding as a means to improve educational outcomes across the United States. Under NCLB, schools were required to demonstrate adequate yearly progress (AYP) in student performance as measured by standardized tests. This accountability framework meant that schools faced consequences for failing to meet performance benchmarks, which ultimately influenced funding distributions based on their ability to improve student achievement.

This performance-based approach intended to ensure that resources were allocated to schools that showed effectiveness in raising student performance, thereby reinforcing the connection between funding and educational success. As a result, schools were incentivized to focus on improving their performance metrics to secure necessary funding and resources.

In contrast, other options such as reducing administrative costs, increasing state funding for all districts, or standardizing curriculum across the nation were not central aspects of the NCLB framework. While administrative efficiency and various funding approaches are certainly important in the broader context of school finance, NCLB's distinctive feature was its focus on accountability mechanisms tied directly to student performance outcomes.