New York State has been granted a flexibility waiver from the Bush era No Child Left Behind law.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the approval for New York this afternoon during a conference call with reporters, "In exchange for state developed plans to prepare all students for college and careers, focusing aid on the neediest students and supporting effective teaching and leaderships. This brings the number of states with NCLB waivers to 19."
The flexibility means mandates under No Child Left Behind, like a free tutoring program in the Rochester City School District known as Supplemental Educational Services, will no longer be required. The district can decide whether to keep the program or drop it.
The waivers are a stopgap measure until Congress can rewrite the decade old law, which has been up for renewal since 2007.
The Obama administration is granting the waivers, but in exchange, states must improve how they teach and evaluate students.
Other states receiving the flexibility waiver include Rhode Island, North Carolina and Louisiana.
In all, 19 states have been given waivers so far - including Connecticut, Maryland and Ohio.