Georgia and nine other states last week were released from requirements of No Child Left Behind, a landmark federal education law some say created a national testing craze by requiring students meet increasing academic goals year after year.
States were granted waivers by the Obama administration in response to Congress’ failure to update the law since 2007, when it came up for renewal. Now, student test scores won’t be as pivotal to how schools are rated, Georgia schools will no longer pass or fail based on “adequate yearly progress,” and the state will not have to meet the mandate that all students test on grade level in math and reading by 2014.
