Research in the Wake of the No Child Left behind Act: Why the Controversies Will Continue and Some Suggestions for Controversial Research

Abstract

The authors provide an analysis of why the controversies surrounding educational treatment are likely to continue even with scientific validation of practices as called for in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act. They describe how bias in human judgment makes it difficult to trust others and also difficult to doubt oneself relative to important decisions and suggest that science, through its mechanism of self-correction, is the best tool for overcoming these biases. The developing relationship between general and special education since NCLB is described. Several suggestions are provided for researchers, including the need to (a) reexamine the functions of individualized education programs, (b) develop standard treatment protocols for students who need support beyond that provided by school-wide discipline programs, and (c) scrutinize the academic demands faced by students with emotional or behavioral disorders vis à vis compliance with NCLB.