. ▁▁ 2 1 st ▁Century ▁ ▁US ▁Department ▁of ▁Education ▁Rod ▁Pa ige ▁facil itated ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁No ▁Child ▁Left ▁Be hind ▁( N CL B ) ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁most ▁meaning ful ▁am end ments ▁in ▁federal ▁education ▁legisl ation ▁since ▁the ▁Element ary ▁and ▁Second ary ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁This ▁Stat ute ▁enabled ▁children ▁in ▁sub - perform ing ▁schools ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁public ▁institutions ▁or ▁receive ▁co aching ▁at ▁government ▁exp ense . ▁Secretary ▁Pa ige ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁assist ing ▁the ▁District ▁of ▁Columbia ▁in ▁becoming ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁very ▁first ▁v ouch er ▁program ▁fin anced ▁by ▁the ▁federal ▁government . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Washington ▁Post ▁pointed ▁out ▁different ▁issues ▁in ▁public ▁education , ▁the ▁biggest ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁student ▁pover ty . ▁National ▁Co ordin ator ▁for ▁Bro ader ▁b older ▁Appro ach ▁to ▁Education , ▁a ▁program ▁initi ated ▁by ▁the ▁Econom ic ▁Policy ▁Institute , ▁c ited ▁the ▁Southern ▁Education ▁Foundation ▁Study ▁( Oct ober ▁ 2 0 1 3 ). ▁This ▁study ▁identified ▁that ▁pover ty ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁the ▁h ind rance ▁to ▁educational ▁success . ▁The ▁ 2 1 st ▁Century ▁increased ▁the ▁ratio ▁of ▁un emp loy ed ▁parents ▁or ▁those ▁with ▁jobs ▁not ▁capable ▁of ▁providing ▁basic ▁necess ities ▁including ▁education . ▁This ▁situation ▁requires ▁authentic ▁re forms ▁that ▁will ▁allow ▁children ▁to ▁obtain ▁basic ▁liter acy ▁together