The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation has dramatically changed the way schools and school districts measure educational attainment for all students. In this article, the researchers examine whether African Americans have progressed or digressed in their educational attainment five years after the implementation of NCLB. To provide a clear picture on the status of educational attainment for African American K?12 public school students across the United States, an analysis of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was utilized. This analysis was grounded in the theory of structural inequality. Finally, recommendations to K?12 educational practitioners along with education policy makers and funding agencies are discussed.