This publication reports the results of the first two (of five) studies of a multifaceted research investigation of the state of high-achieving students in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) era. Authored by Ann Duffett, Steve Farkas, Tom Loveless of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Part I examines achievement trends for high-achieving students since the early 1990s; Part II reports on teachers' own views of how schools are serving high-achieving pupils in the NCLB era.

"The narrowing of test score gaps, although an important accomplishment," Loveless writes, should not "overshadow the languid performance trends of high-achieving students." He adds: "Their test scores are not being harmed during the NCLB era, but they are not flourishing either. Gaps are narrowing because the gains of low-achieving students are outstripping those of high achievers by a factor of two or three to one. The nation has a strong interest in developing the talents of its best students to their fullest to foster the kind of growth at the top end of the achievement distribution that has been occurring at the bottom end."

According to a review by Washington Post columnist, Jay Matthews, “Loveless exposes intriguing relationships in the data that suggest better ways to treat the learning gap. He looks closely at high achievers and finds those who are black, Hispanic or low-income have different characteristics from their white, high-income peers. Their schools are less likely to have the algebra courses that they are ready to take. But interestingly, their math teachers ‘appear as qualified to teach advanced courses as the teachers of high achievers as a whole,’ Loveless writes.”

Loveless suggests that Congress fund an experiment, as part of the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, to follow high-achieving students more carefully and create new opportunities, particularly for those who are disadvantaged. Rewards could be offered for improving the performance of those in already-high-achieving groups. Data could be collected and analyzed.

Review the report….