Federal laws address some of the factors that have been associated with school failure, specifically poverty and disability. The primary federally funded legislation that addresses the needs of at-risk youths in public are the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 and No Child Left Behind (2002). This article reviews the intended purposes and beneficiaries of each law, the means used to implement them, and their implications for primary and secondary education. It covers implementation challenges for school social workers and concludes with policy suggestions to strengthen the current legislation. (Contains 32 footnotes.)