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Arizona bucks U.S. No Child test trend
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Most states are failing to pass muster with the federal
government over student testing and may lose money unless they improve
quickly.
However, Arizona was among six states receiving full approval with
recommendations for improvements.
The Education Department says 34 other states, the District of Columbia and
Puerto Rico have major problems with the tests that were supposed to be in
place in the just-ended school year. They will get federal approval only if
they correct the problems in the coming year.
In addition, Nebraska's and Maine's testing systems were rejected outright.
They all face the threat of losing from $40,000 to more than $1 million of
the money they receive to administer the No Child Left Behind law. In most
cases, the total would be less than $100,000; Nebraska and Maine could lose
one-quarter of their funding.
The money would go instead to school districts, skipping state governments
altogether.
The report card of the states, released Thursday, is intended to get them to
finish the job.
President Bush's education law orders states to hold math and reading tests
in the third to eighth grades, and once in high school. The deadline was the
end of the 2005-06 school year.
Every state did have testing in the required grades. But many states still
have significant problems, such as developing exams for disabled or
limited-English students, or ensuring that tests are technically sound.
Only 10 states won full approval. Four others are expected to get there
soon.
Assistant Education Secretary Ray Simon said states' overall performances
were positive.
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