Waiver helps North Dakota schools meet progress goals

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The majority of North Dakota schools have met the state's Adequate Yearly Progress goals, but much of their success comes from the state's waiver from U.S. Department of Education measures.

[...] the waiver allows North Dakota to throw out students' standardized test scores in determining whether schools and school districts meet the goals, said state Superintendent Kirsten Baesler.

Penalties range from allowing students to transfer to passing schools, to spending money on consultants for teacher training or even handing over management of the school to the state.

To avoid penalties, schools had to show that their students' test scores continued to improve.