No, course not. Having multiple immediate family members for 40+ years in education what could I possibly know compared to an administrator. You are an administrator aren't you?
It is very hard to teach those things to children who cannot read. First things first.
Yes because NCLB focuses on that for the teachers doesn't it...oh that's right it doesn't. The bureaucratic machine it takes to tell someone with a Masters in History and Education they're not 'highly qualified' because they aren't also 'qualified' to teach Science really helps the children learn to read doesn't it?
NCLB does nothing except focus on teaching to the test. What it also does is slow down gifted children because they're so much further ahead of Soccer Mom's rugrat whose jacked up on Ritalin because Soccer Mom doesn't want to deal with the responsibilities of parenthood. So gifted children are held back because they don't fit into the norm. Course this is just what I 'don't know' from teachers that are still (sadly IMO) dedicated to teaching instead of programming.
I have limited administrative experience in education. I was a history teacher 7-12 and then a professor of history at a black heritage college where 80% of incoming freshmen could not pass entrance exams. but I left teaching and went into sales.
I would not have known enough to design the system of incentives and standards in NCLB, but I have followed it as it ws implemented here by Jeb Bush a little ahead of NCLB and it has worked very well. Teachers and school officials initially dragged their feet but eventually decided to buckle down and make it work. They have been pleased, too.