Minnesota May Ask For No Child Left Behind Waivers

ST. PAUL (AP) - More Minnesota schools may get a pass on some mandates of the No Child Left Behind law.

U.S. Education Sec. Arne Duncan says he will give schools some relief from some federal requirements because he says Congress isn't moving fast enough on an overhaul of the law.

A spokeswoman for state Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius says Monday the commissioner approves of giving states more flexibility and would seek a waiver, if Gov. Mark Dayton agrees.

The request could lift test-score requirements on some schools.

The U.S. Education Department data shows it granted more than 400 waivers since 2009, six to Minnesota.

Duncan has predicted that 82 percent of U.S. schools could be labeled as failures next year. Minnesota is set to release its new report on failing schools in August.

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