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SALT LAKE CITY — The U.S. Department of Education approved a one-year extension of Utah's waiver from No Child Left Behind, exempting the state from having to adhere to some requirements of the federal education law.
The Utah Board of Education unanimously voted in August to reapply for a renewal of the waiver, which allows the state to develop and implement its own accountability system.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act has been due for reauthorization by Congress since 2007, according to the Utah State Board of Education. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would grant flexibility waivers to states that meet certain guidelines. Utah was first granted a waiver in 2012.
Without the waiver, Utah schools would be compelled to comply with No Child Left Behind, which would require every student in the state to score proficiently on statewide tests in 2014. It would also force the state to designate funds toward assisting at-risk students, hiring third-party consultants, faculty and administrative overhauls, and potentially transforming public schools into charters.
In September, Gov. Gary Herbert met with federal education officials in Washington, D.C., urging them to approve the waiver.
This is one more way to demonstrate that Utah is fully in control of its own educational standards.
–David Crandall
David Crandall, chairman of the State Board of Education, said Utah's period of exemption will allow the state to tailor education policy to local circumstances.
"We believe the waiver approval affirms our state autonomy while removing the more onerous aspects and requirements of (No Child Left Behind)," Crandall said in a prepared statement. "The Utah State Board of Education and I wish to thank Gov. Herbert for his support in helping to keep Utah out from under some of the burdens of the No Child Left Behind Act. … This is one more way to demonstrate that Utah is fully in control of its own educational standards."
Utah was one of six states granted a one-year extension from the act Thursday. In all, 41 states have flexibility waivers with No Child Left Behind, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
