Schools chief seeks relief from law labeling schools as 'failing'
California’s top school official has requested immediate relief from federal guidelines that, if unaltered, would label nearly 80% of schools serving large numbers of low-income students as failing.
State Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson formally aligned with officials from other states in seeking a waiver from federal rules and penalties under the No Child Left Behind Act. Under that law, nearly all students are supposed to be academically “proficient” by 2014. States must progress toward the 2014 requirement every year, a rising target that increasing numbers of schools are unable to meet.
Such schools are subject to federal sanctions, including being closed, having the staff replaced or being converted to charter schools. Charters are operated outside of direct school district control and don’t have to abide by a school system’s labor agreements.