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Obama Gives Ten States Waiver On No Child Left Behind Law

Reut Cohen |
February 9, 2012 | 8:22 a.m. PST

Executive Producer

President Barack Obama (Creative Commons)
President Barack Obama (Creative Commons)
President Barack Obama will give ten states that did not meet proficiency standards in reading and math waivers as they set new performance standards, MSNBC reported Thursday.

The states involved will need to show that they are preparing students for colleges and careers.

In September, Obama called the provisions under the No Child Left Behind Act commendable but said the 2001 education law hurts students more than it helps. "I want to say the goals behind No Child Left Behind were admirable, and President Bush deserves credit for that,"he said. "Higher standards are the right goal. Accountability is the right goal. Closing the achievement gap is the right goal. And we’ve got to stay focused on those goals."

The states that received waivers so far are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee. New Mexico is working with the Obama administration to get approval, according to reports.

Critics say the Obama administration’s actions circumvent Congress and take away state flexibility.

Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) the chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, said the waivers are harmful because they allow the education secretary "sweeping authority to handpick winners and losers." Kline also said the president has allowed for an "arbitrary timeline" on when the 2001 education law is rewritten, according to MSNBC.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, by 2014 every student is supposed to test meet grade level requirements in reading and math.

 

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