The implications of No Child Left Behind made comparisons of all students in the American education system with students in other countries. NCLB also made historical comparisons with students from previous generations. The purpose of this study was to point out the impropriety of making these comparisons. Students who attended school prior to the implementation of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 were not privy to the accommodations and modifications allowed after 1975. The majority of these students dropped out of school and went on to find occupations that did not rely on a formal education system. Any comparison of NCLB students with these generations would not include similar populations. Similarly, students from other countries who were placed in comparison with American students were students bound for a college career. These students also would not reflect similar populations to those in the NCLB population. Consequently, scores did not reflect the same populations. This study uses learning preferences and life experiences of adults who would have graduated high school between 1945 and 1975 to compare with adults who graduated high school between 2002 and 2012. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]