Iowa gets temporary freeze on No Child Left Behind

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education has approved Iowa’s request for a one-year freeze on state targets under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Iowa Education Director Jason Glass says the freeze will give the state time to seek permanent relief from the “unrealistic accountability measures.”

Iowa’s request, made last week, followed a decision by the federal government to deny a waiver from key provisions. Under the law, all children are required to be at grade level in math and reading by 2014. Schools that don’t accomplish that goal face stiff penalties, including mandates to replace staff.

Glass says the number of schools affected by the freeze isn’t known because the department is in the midst of a progress report based on tests during the last school year.