Oklahoma requests extension of education flexibility waiver
Published: August 13th, 2014
OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 12, 2014) – The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) today filed a request with the U.S. Department of Education for a one-year extension of the flexibility waiver from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind).
One condition of the waiver, first granted to Oklahoma in 2012, stipulates that academic standards for English and math must be college- and career-ready.
Under recently enacted legislation, Oklahoma will soon begin the process of drafting new college- and career-ready standards in English and math. For the next two years, however, the state will use Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS).
A decision is pending by State Regents for Higher Education on whether PASS standards are college- and career-ready.
OSDE’s application for a waiver extension is based on the enormous amount of work school districts have done to improve academic achievement with the flexibility already granted.
The loss of a waiver would mean a loss of flexibility for school districts and a restriction of federal Title I funds.