By SCOTT ROTHSCHILD, The Lawrence Journal-World
State education officials Tuesday said freedom from some of the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind law will produce a better way to gauge student performance and get help to students who need it.
Last month, Kansas received the waiver from federal education officials.
"The waiver does not remove accountability," for measuring student achievement, said Judi Miller, assistant director of Title Programs and Services at the Kansas Department of Education.
Miller said the waiver allows the state to implement an accountability system that will provide a more meaningful measure of students and schools.
Instead of focusing on meeting Adequate Yearly Progress under NCLB, education officials will look at multiple measures, Miller said. The changes take effect in the 2012-13 school year.
The waiver also means that Kansas will implement a system that includes student achievement as a factor in teacher evaluations.
Kansas submitted is waiver request in February after President Barack Obama's administration announced that it would grant state waivers from some NCLB provisions provided that the states pursue education reforms.
