National Merit scholarship program lowers the bar in low-achieving states
States with high academic standards have protested that the No Child Left Behind Act punishes them for setting high expectations for their students. But NCLB is not the only program that allows standards to vary for students in different states. A report by an educational consultant in the DC area complains that National Merit semifinalist awards are conferred upon a set percentage of students in each state, which means that students in Mississippi need only score 200 on the PSAT exam to qualify for the awards, while students in Virginia must score 218, students in Maryland must score 220, and students in Washington, DC must score 221. For details see "National Merit Scale Hurts Area, Study Finds," by Jay Mathews, The Washington Post, October 2, 2002
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