A breakdown of how different states approached No Child Left Behind goals. The program aims to have all children reading and doing math on grade level by 2013-14.

About half of states set steady yearly goals for increasing the percentage of students that pass the tests. Other states set the bar very low early on and now face steep yearly achievement gains.

States that set incremental progress goals:

n Arkansas

n Colorado

n Connecticut

n District of Columbia

n Idaho

n Illinois

n Maryland

n Massachusetts

n Minnesota

n Mississippi

n Missouri

n Montana

n Nebraska

n New Hampshire

n New Jersey

n New Mexico

n New York

n North Carolina

n North Dakota

n South Carolina

n Tennessee

n Texas

n Utah

n Vermont

n Virginia

n Washington

States now facing steep achievement gains:

n Alabama

n Alaska

n Arizona

n California

n Delaware

n Georgia

n Hawaii

n Indiana

n Iowa

n Kentucky

n Louisiana

n Maine

n Michigan

n Nevada

n Ohio

n Oklahoma

n Oregon

n Pennsylvania

n Rhode Island

n South Dakota

n West Virginia

n Wisconsin

n Wyoming

States with blended approaches:

n Florida

n Kansas

Source: Center on Education Policy.

- Associated Press