A report released by the American Federation of Teachers finds that most states are not on schedule to meet a 2006 deadline in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that requires states to raise standards for hundreds of thousands of teacher’s aides who work with disadvantaged students.

The state-by-state evaluation, titled Midterm Report on States’ Efforts to Assist Paraprofessionals in Meeting NCLB Requirements, rates Illinois and New York as the only states "very well prepared" to meet NCLB’s deadline for ensuring that classroom aides, also known as paraprofessionals, meet new standards.  Kansas, New Jersey, New Mexico and North Carolina earned a "well-prepared" rating.  Overall, the report found that 23 states are having at least some success in improving the quality of teacher’s aides.  But 27 states and the District of Columbia have made insufficient progress in meeting the deadline, which could force dedicated, experienced paraprofessionals out of classrooms where they are needed most.  The report grades states in several areas, including whether they provide multiple assessment options for paraprofessionals, financial support for college costs and testing fees, test preparation and helpful information on state Web sites.