Hidden benefits and unintended consequences of no child left behind policies for students who are deaf or hard of hearing

No Child Left Behind (NUB) creates a high-stakes environment by holding schools accountable for bow all students perform on state assessments, including students with disabilities and students who are English Language Learners. The focus of this article is on the impact (of NCLB on students who are deaf or bard of hearing (SDHH). The SDHH have diverse linguistic characteristics and are served in a range of educational settings. The Purpose of th is article is to explore the bidden benefits and consequences of NCLB policy on SDHH in two areas: assessment and accountability. Drawing on findings from the author's program of research, the article illustrates areas where policy may differentially affect students depending on their state of residence and educational setting. The discussion ends with a summary of benefits and hidden consequences of NCLB for SDHH.