Washington became the first state in the nation to lose its waiver from No Child Left Behind last year, after state lawmakers failed to change the state’s teacher evaluation system to meet federal demands [tying it to student test scores]. That led to 88 percent of the state’s schools being labeled as failing last year, and meant that districts had to send letters home to parents announcing their schools’ failure to meet federal standards.
Without a waiver for the 2014-15 school year, school districts throughout Washington also had to redirect about $38 million in federal Title I grant money toward tutoring programs —– ones often run by private companies — instead of using that money for other district programs for low-income students. [clarification added by TSJ]
Continue reading: Washington lawmakers leave ‘No Child Left Behind’ fix to Congress
The Secular Jurist 