A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

   FOR RELEASE                    Contact:   Melinda Kitchell Malico    August 29, 1995                                    (202) 401-1008

"These waiver provisions give the department unprecedented ability to allow states, school districts, and schools more flexibility in the use of federal education funds in order to improve teaching and learning," said Riley in a letter to school officials.

The waivers offer increased flexibility from federal education program rules in exchange for accountability for student academic progress.

The department must publish notices of waivers granted and disseminate the notices to parents, educators and others interested in the new flexibility provisions. The August 25 Federal Register notice is the first of the planned quarterly notices, and includes a list of waivers approved through June 1995. Riley's letter announcing the new waivers and a copy of the notice is being sent to state school superintendents, Title I coordinators, education associations, and others.

Last spring, Riley wrote to school officials and others concerning the department's new waiver authority under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, and the Improving America's Schools Act, as well as the Education Flexibility Partnership Demonstration Program (Ed-Flex) of Goals 2000.

One of the approved waivers allows the Fort Worth, Texas, Independent School District to target extra Title I dollars to four very high poverty, inner-city elementary schools. The schools were selected for a complete overhaul because of low achievement and other factors. The four schools operate schoolwide programs that aim to increase academic achievement for all students in the school through reorganizing staff, lengthening the school year, focusing heavily on teaching reading and math, providing extensive professional development, and strengthening links to the community. With the improved instructional climate in these schools, the district is striving to achieve goals such as better student performance on the Texas State assessment.

The waivers were approved after careful review by staff and the department's Waiver Action Board.

The Federal Register notice also names Oregon as the first "Ed-Flex" state approved under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act. Oregon has an approved Goals 2000 plan and was given the power to grant waivers of certain federal education program. The "Ed-Flex" program allows the secretary to delegate his waiver authority, authorized under Goals 2000, to six states.

Oregon will grant waivers to school districts that show how fewer federal and state program requirements can help students reach the state's academic standards. Oregon has already established a state and local waiver system and a process to monitor student performance under waivers of state and local requirements. The state's assessment system will now be broadened to monitor the effect of the new federal program waivers.

Kansas has since been named the second "Ed-Flex" state.