The National Association for Bilingual Education claims that NCLB sets arbitrary goals for achievement and uses "invalid and unreliable assessments."
Furthermore, although the NCLB requires teachers to be qualified, as of 2004 there is a severe shortage of qualified teachers for ELLs.
In May of 2004, the U.S. Department of Education and faith-based community leaders launched an initiative to inform Hispanic, Asian, and other parents of ELLs about the NCLB.
Previously California had withheld all of the $133 million provided by NCLB from ELLs enrolled in alternative bilingual programs.
Opinions on No Child Left Behind (NCLB) vary substantially among parents and teachers, proving that this legislation is one of the most controversial topics in education today.