U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore received an “A” from the Lawrence school board Monday for working to secure more federal funding of the sweeping federal education law No Child Left Behind.

Board members and the district’s superintendent applauded the Kansas Democrat’s bill that would delay introduction of No Child Left Behind until Congress appropriated sufficient money to enact the law.

“It’s not fair for the federal government to impose a requirement and not fund it,” Moore said in an interview.

The bill, proposed this week, would allow a state education agency or school district to suspend the law’s provisions until it received full federal funding. It could cost $9 billion to complete national adoption of the law, Moore said.

“It would be wonderful,” said Austin Turney, the Lawrence board’s vice president. “I don’t expect it.”

Randy Weseman, superintendent of schools in Lawrence, said Moore’s bill was a long shot. The federal government had refused to meet special-education budget promises for more than a quarter century, he said.

“Having been through this opera before, I pretty much know what this result will be,” he said.

Moore voted for No Child Left Behind, which was designed to require all U.S. public school students to be proficient in math and reading by 2014. Provisions of the law are scheduled to begin this year.

The problem is many states are struggling with an economic downturn so serious school districts have cut education services, not boosted them.

No Child Left Behind adds significantly to the cost of educating children — Weseman estimates $400,000 annually in Lawrence within a couple of years — by requiring additional standardized tests, teacher training and administrative oversight.

Moore said forcing another unfunded mandate down the throats of public school districts could damage the quality of education offered children.

“I want to make this law work,” the congressman said. “Our schools can succeed if provided with the resources promised.”

Lawrence school board President Scott Morgan agreed: “Well-intentioned, unpaid-for mandates are counterproductive, to put it mildly.”

Board member Leni Salkind said the bill would send a useful message to federal officials about the struggle going on in public schools.

“He’s trying to make a point, which is probably good,” she said.

“It’s hard to imagine the president is going to come up with money when he’s cutting taxes the way he is. We’re in a deficit situation.”