It switch the focus from education of students to getting students to past the standardize Tests.
It encouraged schools to teach the test and game the system to get high % of passing students, even if it meant that the students were not studying for their regular classes.
Not necessarily. Also, I'm not even sure that Dole would run for re-election in 2000 due his age: making it possible he isn't even President to sign the law when it passes in 2001.