Megan listens to President Bush, originally uploaded by Tom O’Neill.

My colleague Dan Lips reports from Philadelphia that the American Legislative Exchange Council decided to delay action on a vote to weaken No Child Left Behind yesterday. The conservative group of state legislators was considering a resolution that endorsed the A-PLUS alternative for states.

While there was no way of knowing how the vote might have turned out, there was little question that President Bush’s visit to Philadelphia helped quell the possibility of a revolt. The Bush administration opposes the A-PLUS plan, which has the support of conservatives in both the House and Senate, and didn’t want to see conservative state legislators follow in the same direction.

Bush began his remarks on No Child Left Behind with this statement: “I don’t believe Washington ought to be telling local districts how to run their school system. I do not believe that.” That’s exactly what the legislators wanted to hear. However, Bush followed that statement with his belief that it’s the federal government’s role to insist upon results. It’s that philosophy — and what has happened as a result of it — that is fueling so much anger about No Child Left Behind.