According to the NY Times, cities have varied wildly in the way they have complied with NCLB. In New York, the directive from the Department of Ed (and the mayor to which that body now reports) has been to obey the law to the fullest degree, schools be damned. Combined with a huge freshman class city-wide and the ever-present budget cuts, and this was a September to remember for many schools. Now, it looks like we have to prepare for a new round of transfers, and the question is — why?

If other cities, such as Chicago, are not in full compliance… if it appears that even the Secretary of Education is hedging his bets because he knows this bill is becoming political suicide… then why is New York City still lining up with policies in full support?

Even the Times can’t avoid connecting these political dots: Republican mayor… GOP convention in 2004… full compliance with bad law.

Not exactly shocking, but still really quite sad.