President Barack Obama will grant 10 states waivers from the requirements of the No Child Left Behind law, the Boston Herald is reporting. The states who were granted the waivers will be given the leeway on how they prepare and evaluate students.
The 10 states include Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee. The only state that applied and didn’t receive the waiver was New Mexico. However, state officials are working Obama’s administration to get approval.
Twenty-eight other states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have stated that they plan on seeking waivers as well. Their plans signal the burdens the law place on schools and students.
No Child Left Behind requires that by 2014, all students be proficient in reading and math. The waiver takes away that requirement, as long as they offer a viable plan instead. The states must show they’ll prepare students for college and careers. The states must also set new targets for improving student achievements, develop meaningful teacher and principal evaluation systems, reward the best performing schools and help the schools doing the worst.
Obama has called No Child Left Behind admirable, but also a flawed effort. He added the law hurts students, instead of helping them, and action was necessary because Congress failed to update the law, despite widespread bipartisan agreement that it needs to be fixed.
Written by: Karen Benardello
