Negotiations Continue On No Child Left Behind Waiver

Kansas education officials say negotiations

with the federal government are moving the state closer to

obtaining a waiver from requirements of the No Child Left Behind

law.

Judi Miller, an administrator with the Kansas education

department, told the State Board of Education on Tuesday that

federal officials have approved parts of the state’s application.

A waiver would remove the federal mandate for all Kansas

students to demonstrate proficiency in math and reading by 2014.

Kansas would instead adopt new standards for measuring the

annual progress of schools and districts toward student proficiency

in reading and math. The state would also develop its own method

for assessing the quality of teachers and administrators, and for

providing more opportunities for career and technical education.