This document suggests 18 changes to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in four targeted areas. Regarding Assessment and Accountability, The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) supports: (1) Implementing an accountability system that gives credit for progress and/or proficiency; (2) Creating levels for making adequate yearly progress (AYP) that distinguish struggling schools from those needing limited assistance; (3) Prohibiting unnecessary and duplicative student testing; (4) Reducing school focus on reading and math; (5) Requiring provision to teachers and parents of timely and user-friendly assessment data; (6) Including English language learners (ELLs) appropriately in assessment and accountability systems; and (7) Including students with disabilities appropriately in assessment and accountability systems. To address School Improvement Interventions, AFT advocates: (8) Providing schools and districts the resources and flexibility to implement research-based interventions; (9) Targeting interventions for schools that have not made AYP to those students in the school who are not proficient; (10) Redesigning schools that have continued to decline after receiving help; (11) Allowing schools to continue to receive interventions for at least 3 years after exiting the "in need of improvement" category; and (12) Requiring state development of a "learning environment index" for all schools and mandating that districts and states address problem areas identified by the index for schools not making AYP. Recommendations for Staffing Schools include: (13) Requiring districts to develop incentives to attract and retain qualified teachers in low-performing schools, including increased compensation, improved working conditions, meaningful professional development, a safe environment and other instructional supports; (14) Refocusing the law on improving the quality of instruction by incorporating research-base professional development and curricular supports for teachers and paraprofessionals; and (15) Requiring in-service and pre-service training and professional development for paraprofessionals. The final area discussed in this document is Funding and Systemwide Accountability. Recommendations include: (16) Grants for voluntary state consortia to develop common academic standards, curriculum and assessments; (17) Ensuring that state accountability systems are fair and accurate measure of student progress and achievement; and (18) Funding NCLB at 2001 reauthorization levels. [For 2005 document, see ED497881.]