By far the need for change was one that resonated throughout the House and the Senate, rallying bipartisan support in numbers never seen in the legislative process. The NCLB act was highly advocated by a Senate committee headed by Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts (D), and Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire (R). Primary supporters in Congress included Congressman George Miller, a democrat from California, and Congressman John Boehner a republican representative of …show more content…
According to this report 13 percent of all 17-year-olds in the United States can be classified as being functionally illiterate (U.S. Dept. Ed., 1983). Additionally, 40 percent of minority youth were functionally illiterate and SAT scores were consistently declining (U.S. Dept. Ed., 1983). The final report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education set forth recommendations for the improvement of the U.S. educational system in a report entitled A Nation at Risk. According to A Nation at Risk (U.S. Dept. Ed., 1983 as cited by Jorgensen & Hoffman, 2003) the federal educational system was in need of reform that provided “the best effort and performance from all students, whether they are gifted or less able, affluent or disadvantaged, whether destined for college, the farm, or industry” (U.S. Dept. Ed., 1983 as cited by Jorgensen & Hoffman,