Ford School Public Events

Lecture by the Honorable Margaret Spellings, Former U.S. Secretary of Education (2005-2009)

The seminal education law known as No Child Left Behind put critical pressure on our schools to dramatically improve education in America. Through accountability, testing, and consequences for failure, a more targeted focus on our neediest students has translated into measurable success for them. Since the law's passage ten years ago, we've learned much, including that more progress won't be made until we, as a nation, tackle the toughest issues: the use of people, time and valuable taxpayer dollars in more strategic and effective ways. Therein, lies the rub; will adults—policymakers, educators and parents—put the needs of students before their own? You be the judge as we discuss these urgent policy matters and the political dynamics at play.