by David Gura

Leaders of both parties in the House of Representatives say they are launching an effort to re-write the "No Child Left Behind" education law. According to NPR education correspondent Larry Abramson, the lawmakers say they will begin hearings next week.

In his budget for fiscal year 2011, President Obama proposed major changes to "No Child Left Behind."

"The White House wants to overhaul the standards used to judge which schools are failing," Abramson says, adding that making changes probably won't be easy. "When Congress has tried to take up reauthorization of the basic law for federal involvement in K-12 education, it has been stymied by disagreements."

Democrats and Republicans on the House Committee on Education and Labor, including Reps. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the committee, John Kline (R-MN), the senior Republican of the committee, Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), the chairman of the subcommittee on elementary and secondary education, and Michael N. Castle (R-DE), the senior Republican of that subcommittee, say they plan to give it another shot.

The first hearing, scheduled for Feb. 24, will focus on expanding access to quality charter schools.

Abramson says that, while some of the strongest — and most-vocal — opponents of "No Child Left Behind" have moderated their positions, many analysts remain skeptical that a divided Congress will be able to take on the controversial education law.