Utah Legislators Delay Action on NCLB Bill

Meetings Between State, Federal Officials Precede Postponement

A nationally watched showdown between the U.S. Department of Education and Utah state officials over the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act turned into a political soap opera last week.

The serial came down to a cliffhanger in the last days of the legislative session when a final vote on a bill that calls for state education laws to take priority over the federal law was postponed. Tune in to an April 20 special session for the outcome.

Meanwhile, observers should not mistake the delay for a truce between Utah officials, who say the federal law is too invasive, and federal officials, who say its requirements are essential to improving schools. In fact, as the Utah legislative session ended March 2, some state leaders seemed more dead set against the...