Duncan: More Saber-Rattling Over NCLB Waivers

A quick roundup of the obligatory coverage of Duncan's latest pronouncements on NCLB -- still no real details (or changes in how the Hill is going to react): U.S. to grant waivers for No Child Left Behind WP:  The final decision falls to Duncan, who said he expects that successful states will receive waivers in the coming school year. States will get school testing waivers AP: State and local education officials have been begging the federal government for relief from student testing mandates in the federal No Child Left Behind law, but school starts soon and Congress still hasn't answered the call. Overriding a Key Education Law NYT:  The Secretary of Education announced he would waive rigid federal proficiency requirements for states that could prove they were taking appropriate steps to improve their schools. Obama Gives Go-Ahead for NCLB Waivers to States EdWeek:  Just what those reforms will be—and what freedoms states will gain in return—remain unclear. Those details will be made public in September, Obama administration officials said in a call to reporters.

Comments

[Mary Porter]

Where does it say, in any law, that Duncan gets to decide which states "were taking appropriate steps to improve their schools"?

Duncan has no idea what an appropriate step to improve schools are - he works for vested interests. "Appropriate steps" means expand Mike Milken's take from our local tax revenues.

This will fall to a court challenge. All we need is the power of subpoena, and the corrupt hacks at DOE can start going to jail, where they belong.

[Chris]

I agree. It is crazy to give one person so much power over an already corrupted system. I think it is unfortunate that we have made one person the judge and jury for education, especially since the school system itself is already corrupt. We need an overhaul and I do not know if Duncan should be in charge.