No one cares more about your child's welfare than you. No one else will be more careful to see that your child is well educated and well treated in school. Now there are efforts underway across the country to help you achieve those goals. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), amended by Congress in 2004, represent some of the federal government's largest investments in public education. Both laws have provisions that focus on improving the quality of teaching for all children, including children with disabilities, and both laws call for high expectations for the academic achievement of all our children.

The purpose of this booklet is to introduce you to the "big ideas" contained in school improvement efforts under NCLB and IDEA, and to provide you with the information you need to help ensure your child can benefit from these efforts.

At the end of this booklet, you will find some suggested sources of additional information that you can use so that your child benefits from the nationwide education reform and accountability efforts intended to ensure high expectations for all children.