When I was superintendent in Chicago, I never looked forward to a call from Washington telling me what I have to do. Now that I'm in Washington, I try not to make those calls.
Our job is to support reform that is good for students at the state and local level. We need to get out of the way wherever we can. We need to be tight on the goals but loose on the means of achieving them — providing as much flexibility as possible, while maintaining meaningful accountability for improving student outcomes and closing achievement gaps.
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) got it backwards — it was loose on the goals but tight on the means — and today it's forcing states into one-size-fits-all solutions that just don’t work.
The President understands this and he has directed the Department of Education to move ahead in providing relief in return for reform.
With the new school year fast approaching and still no bill to reform NCLB, it’s time to create a process for states to gain flexibility from key provisions of the law, provided that they are willing to embrace education reform.
Fonte: White House