Pennsylvania Receives Waiver on Federal No Child Left Behind

Just as North Hills students prepare to head back to the classroom, the U.S. Education Department and Gov. Tom Corbett announced Tuesday that a request has been granted to ignore parts of No Child Left Behind's requirements in Pennsylvania.

North Hills Superintendent Patrick J. Mannarino told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review he plans to announce the decision to teachers on Wednesday.

The partial waiver allows Pennsylvania to improve schools on the state's own terms, which means Adequate Yearly Progress will be eliminated, and another indicator of academic progress will be used. 

“The more attainable and realistic goals of the new grading system are sure to be well received in North Hills as they will be throughout the state,” district spokeswoman Amanda Hartle told the Trib.

According to the Associated Press, Pennsylvania is the 41st state to win this permission, along with the District of Columbia and a handful of California districts. 

Waivers are required because Congress has not finished a rewrite of the education law, which expired in 2007, the AP reports.

"This is welcome news for students, parents, taxpayers, educators and public schools across the state," Corbett said in a news release. "This waiver allows Pennsylvania to focus on improving schools by directing resources to areas that help students academically succeed. We now have a better way of guiding improvement efforts in schools by establishing ambitious, yet attainable, goals."