What significant change did the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Title 3 bring to ELL programs?

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Title 3 introduced significant reforms aimed at improving education for English Language Learners (ELLs) by establishing a framework for accountability and funding specifically for ELL programs. This legislation mandated that states develop and implement effective programs to support the acquisition of English language skills among ELLs, ensuring that these students could meet the same high academic standards as their peers.

Under NCLB, states were required to set measurable objectives for ELL progress and to report on their academic achievement, thereby increasing accountability for schools and districts to improve outcomes for these students. Additionally, Title 3 provided federal funding to assist with implementing these programs, which allowed schools to better support ELLs through various instructional strategies and resources.

This focus on accountability and access to funding represented a significant shift in how ELLs were supported in schools, contrasting with earlier policies that may not have provided the same level of structured support or accountability measures.