Manna is one of a handful of scholars with a real grasp of the way education policy intersects with the politics of federalism. Collision Course forces readers to think broadly about the obstacles to steering school reform from Washington, D.C. - Jeffrey R. Henig, Columbia University

As the United States struggles to improve its diverse K-12 education systems, we need an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the different ways the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program has been applied in practice during the past decade. Paul Manna’s new book provides an excellent analysis of the intent, nature, and implementation of NCLB. Drawing upon numerous scholarly studies of particular aspects of the program as well as his own expertise in federal and state education policymaking, Manna offers a balanced critique of NCLB and provides thoughtful recommendations for future improvements. This well-written and timely assessment will be of great interest to policymakers, educators, and college students. - Maris Vinovskis, University of Michigan

While there are many edited volumes on the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, there is a need for a coherent synthesis on what works under what administrative conditions from a single author’s perspective. This book will fill this gap. The writing is highly readable and the author has extensive experience is synthesizing the evidence at the federal, state, and local level; this book fits nicely into public policy courses. - Kenneth Wong, Brown University