Minnesota Seeks Waiver To No Child Left Behind

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minnesota will seek a waiver to the federal No Child Left Behind law, which could free state schools from some testing requirements and punishments in the nine-year-old law.

Governor Mark Dayton made the announcement Monday, hours after the Obama administration unveiled its plans to give school districts a break, so as long as they pursue other education changes.

Education Secretary Arne says President Barack Obama is authorizing him to grant waivers because Congress has failed to act.

Minnesota Representative John Kline, the Republican chairman of the House education committee, says he's concerned the temporary waivers could undermine efforts for a more thorough and permanent overhaul of the law.

Critics call the law's benchmarks unrealistic and say they brand schools as failures even if they are making progress.

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