Feds: Wis. proposal for education waiver lacking

MADISON (AP) -- Wisconsin's application for flexibility under the federal No Child Left Behind law is at risk of being denied, according to a federal review that found the state's
proposal for holding schools accountable vague and deficient.

The U.S. Education Department wrote a letter to state education officials last month saying that a peer review panel found deficiencies in the state's waiver application. "This letter shows that (the Department of Public Instruction) hasn't been concrete enough about what they're going to do,'' said

Doug Harris, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of education and public policy who reviewed the letter said..."They would have to make major changes of the sort the state has never been willing to make. Given that, I think it's fair to say it is in jeopardy.''

State education officials have been working with federal education officials to modify and resubmit the waiver application by the end of the month, said Patrick Gasper, a spokesman with the state Department of Public Instruction.

The 10-year-old federal No Child Left Behind law requires all students to achieve proficient math and reading scores by 2014, a goal that many educators say is impossible. Last year, President Barack Obama announced an opportunity for states to avoid the law's requirements if they develop their own accountability systems.

In the fall, all 11 states that applied for a waiver received one. Wisconsin and 25 other states then followed suit in February with their own waiver applications. They're still waiting for final decision.

Wisconsin's application included proposals to rate schools based on student performance, improvement on state tests, progress toward close the achievement gap, and preparation of students for college and careers. Other factors that would influence ratings would include dropout rates and third-grade literacy levels.

The letter said Wisconsin had come up with a number of proposals that were commendable but too short on detail. For example, it praised plans to develop a set of standards aligned to college and career readiness, and also to create an improved teacher evaluation system. However, the letter said the state fell short in explaining how it would implement those systems.

State Sen. Luther Olsen, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said he hadn't seen the letter but that it apparently affirms concerns that were raised before the application was submitted. "Folks thought they would do a cursory, general waiver and get it, and at the end of the day it would be pretty hard to be held accountable for it,'' the Ripon Republican said. "The (U.S. Education) department is not letting Wisconsin get away with that at all.''