18523. ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION. This paper compares the concept of assessment as found in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and the earlier Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). NCLB is primarily concerned with assessing academic achievement, whereas IDEA focuses on finding ways to accommodate students with special needs in classrooms. Although NCLB takes precedence over IDEA, it is argued that IDEA continues to provide important guidelines for educators in their effort to meet the specific needs of students with disabilities. KEYWORDS: education assessment disabilities inclusion No Child Left Behind IDEA mainstreaming. APA Style. 5 pages, 12 footnotes, 6 bibliographic sources. 1,331 words.