The Obama administration has approved seven more requests for waivers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The approved states include Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and South Carolina, as well as the District of Columbia. States receiving waivers were required to develop plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced on Friday that five additional states - Arkansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia - will receive flexibility from the accountability mandates of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, better known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).  

Eight more states and the District of Columbia will have flexibility to adopt alternative accountability measures to those imposed under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, better known as No Child Left Behind or NCLB.  NCLB set a goal that every student would reach proficiency in reading and math by the 2013-14 school year. Under federal waivers, which were authorized by President Barack Obama last fall, states will have the freedom to develop alternate accountability measures. 

Today, The Council of State Governments joined with nine organizations representing state and local governments to urge Congress to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or ESEA. The current version of ESEA, known as the No Child Left Behind Act, expired almost five years ago, and broad reforms are long overdue.

Today, President Obama released the names of the 10 states that will receive flexibility from a set of mandates in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), better known as No Child Left Behind.  Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee received approval.  An 11th state, New Mexico, submitted a request, but it was not granted at this time.  U.S. Department of Education officials will continue to work with New Mexico's education leaders to make adjustments to their initial request.  Officials in 28  states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico say they will request a waiver to NCLB mandates by Feb. 21, 2012 for the second submission opportunity.

Educators and policymakers realize that all of America’s students need a high-quality education to prepare them for college and careers. 2012 promises to be another busy year in  transformational strategies in education. In order to ensure a world-class education, leaders will likely address these top five issues facing states and territories (“the states”) this year.

Minnesota and Indiana were among the first 11 U.S. states this fall to formally seek waivers from key provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act.

With all eyes on the Super Committee as it finishes determining the fate of the federal budget, Congress has been more quiet than normal. The same cannot be said about the White House, however, as President Barack Obama has taken a series of executive actions to promote his own economic policy agenda. In the past week, the White House has announced plans intended to help veterans, homeowners, teachers and student loan borrowers. But will any of these initiatives move the needle on a stalled economy or provide relief to cash-starved state budgets?