Here we go again. After cramming debt increasing legislation down America's economic throat, the "benevolent" Obama administration continues to use stop-gap waivers to calm the anxious masses. This time it's Secretary Arne Duncan at the Department of Education. His Race to the Top initiative, which some have compared to No Child Left Behind on steroids, created quite a pressure cooker for state school systems. The DOE just announced it will begin handing out waivers to state school districts who are "begging the federal government for relief from student testing mandates." Duncan's high-stakes strategy ties test scores to each school's evaluation, ratcheting up demands on local education officials. Grateful superintendent Patrick Russo of Henrico, Virginia lauded the latest move by Duncan. We would welcome relief from any penalties to schools regarding their ability to meet AYP (adequate yearly progress) standards for the coming school year. We also look forward to hearing details,...(Read Full Post)