The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 failed to adequately account for African American student K-12 academic performance. In fact, the NCLB policy has harmed the minority students it was designed to help. When compared to White K-12 students, African American students are more likely to drop out of high school. Of those that do graduate, a small percentage are considered career and college ready. The NLCB-driven overemphasis on testing has contributed to a persistent pattern of ethnic bias against African American students. As policy makers consider the potential reauthorization of the NCLB Act of 2001, they must redress the role of standardized testing and the negative impacts of those tests on African American K-12 students. Specifically, the reauthorization should include the appropriate role for testing; the appropriateness of testing instruments, and the results of testing on African American K-12 academic achievement.