Money promised to Wisconsin schools by the federal government is over $1.5 billion short, according to a release by the research and educational group Institute for One Wisconsin The information was based off of U.S. Department of Education figures for the No Child Left Behind law analyzed by the teacher’s union the National Education Association. Over $56 billion promised to schools were not available nationwide according the release said.

No Child Left Behind is a piece of educational legislation promoted by President Bush and passed in 2002. The NEA opposes the reauthorization of NCLB currently being debated in Washington D.C. according to its website.

“The promise made by President Bush under No Child Left Behind was broken,” said IOW executive director Scot Ross in a statement on the lack of funds.

Each year since 2002 that NCLB was in effect, the difference between what was promised and what the government provided grew according to the release.

In 2003, $208 million was promised and $152 million was provided, a gap of $56 million. During 2007 the gap between expected amounts and what was received was $191 million, the release stated.

A special hearing by the state Senate Education Committee will be held on the issue of NCLB on Thursday.