No Child Left Behind, the Republican Party, and Rhetoric of Accountability: Managing the Republican Paradox in Education

• In Event: Rhetoric of Washington's "Hill": Organizational Rules, Agencies, Presidential Initiatives, and Signing Statements

Abstract

This paper traces the shift from state to federal control of education, noting the paradoxical position of President George W. Bush in advocating for No Child Left Behind as a Republican. The Republican party advocates limited government, whereas NCLB increased the role of the federal government in education. The paper compares education rhetoric of President Reagan to President Bush, outlining a similar rhetoric of accountability to justify the shift toward greater federal regulation of education.

Author

• Rebecca Kuehl, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities