Minnesota Seeks Waiver to Federal Education Law

ROSEVILLE (AP) - The Minnesota Department of Education is among the first group of states to apply for a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind education law.

Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius and other department officials submitted the request to the U.S. Department of Education late Monday.

In a news release, Cassellius calls Minnesota's application for a new accountability plan "a model that makes sense."

Minnesota is among the states to apply for the waiver by the first of two deadlines set by the U.S. Department of Education. The first is Monday and the second is in February.

If approved, fewer Minnesota schools would be labeled as failures under the federal definitions while other schools would face fewer sanctions.