Education Dept. Extends No Child Left Behind Waivers

The Obama administration is giving seven more states and the District of Columbia more flexibility from the requirements of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind education law.

In addition to the nation’s capital, Education Secretary Arne Duncan has renewed waivers for Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New York, and West Virginia. Current law requires standardized tests in reading and math to measure student progress. With the waivers, schools in those states will be able come up with different ways to demonstrate improvement.

The 2002 landmark law required annual testing and put into place consequences for schools that didn’t show progress. It led to complaints that teachers were forced to teach to the tests, and that some of the mandates weren’t realistic.

Forty-two states and the District of Columbia have waivers.