Yes, we are in a waiting period to learn whether Secretary Duncan will pull the state's waiver of the impossible AYP requirements for 2014 outlined in NCLB, a mandate that should have been rewritten years ago. While we wait, we can speculate on our chances based upon what we read in the media and any other information sources we may have including our own perceptions. Depending upon who you choose to believe you get the idea in this
Education Week article.
You can be positive and go with this statement.
"We continue to work with Washington officials on their request for flexibility," said Dorie Nolt, press secretary for U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
Or, you can believe it is only a matter of time until it is pulled as Superintendent Dorn believes.
But Dorn said on Friday his office has been in an ongoing conversation with Duncan's office throughout the legislative session.
"I'd surely like to talk to him to see if there's anything we can do," Dorn said, adding, however, "I don't think we'll get a waiver."
Dorn said he didn't know if some part of the waiver was still salvageable.
"I don't know how much flexibility they're talking about. We'll definitely continue to talk," he said.
I find myself leaning toward the loss of the waiver unless something is happening at the federal level with our congressional delegation that will influence the secretary. I struggled to see how we would retain it even with the change in language to include the word must if local districts maintained autonomy in how the state test data would be used. In this time of March Madness pools, this might be another short term betting opportunity. Care to weigh in?
If you want a concise explanation of the current situation I recommend this KPLU summary.
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