No Child Left Behind Waivers

Former President Bush introduced a policy that would bring all students to proficiency in reading and math by 2014, known as the "No Child Left Behind" policy.   The law was perceived as unrealistic because many students would not have sufficient time to improve their test scores.  This would be too dramatic of a change because in 2009 most schools were listed as failing.


However, just recently Obama implemented waivers to the following states: New Jersey, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Colorado, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. This guaranteed three things.  First, the 2014 deadline must be met.  Also, states must put forward new plans to prepare children.  They must incorporate college and career into the program.  Obama said that he would give the states more flexibility to meet more realistic standards.


Congressional Republican leaders criticized Obama on his decision, which was deemed too big an effort to "politicize education policy rather than work with Congress."  However, he is confident in his decision to grant the states more freedom without state or federal intervention, which would ultimately drive the number of under performing students to significantly fall by at least half.

-Chris