In the past fifteen years, presidents from two parties, supported by parents, teachers, and civic leaders have tried and generally failed to increase student achievement through federal policymaking. Supposedly pathbreaking legislation to "leave no child behind" has hardly made a dent in the problem. What is going on? Kevin R. Kosar delves into the political maneuvering behind the crafting of federal education standards policy. Drawing on a wealth of evidence, Kosar argues that high education standards for all students will help raise achievement (policy analysis). Then, turning to the "real world" of Washington, he shows how politics has thwarted tough education standards policy (political analysis). Kosar concludes with modest proposals for improving the standards and testing provisions of the No Child left Behind Act of 2002 that have a chance of surviving political attacks from both the right and the left.