From a reader:

Mr Robinson,
Fine, here’s an email defending NCLB.
Like most conservatives, I do not think the federal government should in any way fund primary and secondary schools, which are a local or state issue.
However, if my tax money must be redistributed I want there to be strings attached and I want those strings to include standards of real academic achievement (reading, writing, etc.) instead of mushy PC nonsense. Ideally, I want my money to be provided to parents, in the form of Vouchers not to educrats.
However imperfect, NCLB attaches strings, sets standards and (apparently — I have not read the details as I’d rather spend the money killing terrorists) provides the option for vouchers as a fallback if the standards are not met.