请看http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Child_Left_Behind_Act。
请注意这一段话:
NCLB supports standards-based education reform based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education.
注意“measurable goals”这个词。这个法案得到执行就是“标准教育”和可衡量的考试成绩。