The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has been criticized for encouraging schools to neglect students whose performance exceeds the proficiency threshold or lies so far below it that there is no reasonable prospect of closing the gap during the current year. We examine this hypothesis using longitudinal data from 2002-03 through 2005-06. Our…

Participation in two federal programs that supplement Pell Grants for high-achieving, low-income students grew significantly in the last academic year, though not as much as the Education Department had hoped, suggesting that the fledgling programs are still struggling to gain their footing. Approximately 465,000 college students received aid from…

The popularity of no need scholarships in the United States, the ebb and flow of federal financial aid programs, and the changing academic character of the student body served and influenced by these efforts are described. The use of scholarships as recruiting tools is discussed. (MLW)

A protracted case involving a high-achieving ADHD student who was judged eligible for Section 504 assistance, but not for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act assistance, demonstrates confusing overlaps between programs, problems with overidentifying students as disabled, and the high costs of "legalizing" special education.…