Page 566 - Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

eobf_N 7/5/06 3:16 PM Page 543

No Child Left Behind Legislation

viruses, denial of service (DoS), spoofing, and e-mail SEE ALSO Information Systems; Videoconferencing
bombs. These potential hazards can disrupt and curtail
the goals of effective networks. Government networks,
financial institutions, educational institutions, and spe- Dennis J. LaBonty
cialty businesses are highly susceptible to attackers. Some
of the methods to assure better security are established
network firewalls, computer user policies, filter rules,
incoming packet inspection mechanisms, and server isola- NO CHILD LEFT
tion. While these can be successful, they are not foolproof. BEHIND LEGISLATION
Network security planning and implementation is ongo- The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) national legislation
ing and constantly improving.
was enacted into law in 2001 and represents major
changes in public schools at both the elementary and sec-
Wireless networks. Wireless LANs are becoming more ondary level. NCLB is based on the concept that “no child
useful in homes, businesses, and schools. They are also will be left behind” in every aspect of children’s academic
known as Wi-Fi networks. Most of these networks use
radio waves for their transmission medium, but some use education. NCLB legislation has created many detailed
and challenging pieces in the process of its implementa-
infrared light waves. Radio waves travel free at the speed
tion.
of 186,000 miles per second. Unlike light waves, radio
waves can travel long distances and can penetrate through The NCLB Act reauthorizes the Elementary and Sec-
nonmetallic objects. Radio waves spread out over vast ondary Education Act of 1965 and incorporates strategies
areas. Because of these advantages, wireless LAN and and principles of President George W. Bush. These
WAN networks are expanding rapidly. include:
Interoperability. A concern on wireless networks,
• Increased accountability for individual states, school
interoperability results when vendors produce wireless
districts, and individual schools
components that do not work together. Efforts to prevent
this from happening have been implemented. One exam- • More school choice for parents and students, with
ple is the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers special emphasis on students attending low-perform-
(IEEE) 802.11 standard. Most wireless vendors have ing schools
agreed to follow this standard when producing wireless • More choice for states and local educational agencies
components. Also, the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility
in the use of money from the federal government
Alliance began certifying vendors who produce compo-
nents that adhere to 802.11 provisions. • A stronger emphasis on reading instruction, with
Security on Wi-Fi networks is also a major concern. special emphasis on younger children
Security protocols for wireless networks are provided in the
802.11i IEEE data communication standard. This standard INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY
defines security protocols that prevent the major security Accountability for instruction is now being required by all
issues such as eavesdropping, spoofing, DoS, and others.
states in that they are required to develop and implement
a process of statewide accountability for students attend-
SUMMARY ing public schools.
Networks have become an operational necessity for just Incorporated into the accountability process is a
about every business, government entity, school, and development and assessment procedure to establish state
household. Burgeoning information demands make it standards in subject areas, with an initial focus on reading
necessary to link computers for efficient data sharing,
and mathematics. States are responsible for annual testing
storage, and communication. E-mail services are becom- of all students in grades 3–8, with the overall goal that stu-
ing a communication staple among computer owners.
dents will reach proficiency by grade 12. In the process of
Additionally, enhanced services such as electronic com-
doing this, results are sorted by race, ethnicity, poverty,
merce, graphics, and videoconferencing are causing net-
works to grow and expand. Properly managed networks disability, and limited English proficiency. School districts
increase productivity and assist managers and administra- that fail to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward
tors with communication demands. Consequently, net- statewide proficiency goals will be subject to improve-
works are an essential component of the information ment, corrective action, and/or restructuring to get them
system plan of every business. Networks provide a crucial back on track. Schools that meet or exceed the AYP goals
advantage for end users. will be eligible for special recognition.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION 543