Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas have notified U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige of their plans to apply for unprecedented flexibility under the new State Flexibility Authority Program (State-Flex), authorized under the "No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001."

One of several flexibility provisions under NCLB, State-Flex will allow up to seven states to use certain state-level federal education funds for state-set education priorities in exchange for increased accountability for student academic progress. Given the flexibility, states must hold districts accountable for increasing the academic achievement of all students, especially disadvantaged students, and narrowing achievement gaps. States will also be able to specify how all school districts use Innovative Program funds under Title V, Part A.

"State-Flex offers a unique partnership between school districts, states and the federal government, putting the onus for improved student achievement squarely in the hands of state and local officials," said Paige. "This new way of thinking and operating will give states and districts flexibility to find creative ways to enhance teacher quality, improve academic achievement, keep schools and children safe and empower parents and communities to address local needs and priorities."

The department plans to hold two competitions for states to apply for the new demonstration authority; the first will be announced this summer. Applications will be peer reviewed and approved by the secretary. These 12 states as well as others may apply.

To qualify for State-Flex, states must have already defined adequate yearly progress under Title I law. Participating states will be required to report to the Secretary annually on how they are using the flexibility to improve student achievement and whether the chosen districts and the state are making adequate yearly progress.

In states that are selected for State-Flex, between four and ten school districts &8212; half of which must be high-poverty &8212; will enter into performance agreements with the state, allowing those districts to consolidate certain federal funds to meet the goals of NCLB and make adequately yearly progress in alignment with the state's State-Flex plan.

Funds for state-level activities from the following programs may be consolidated: Title I, Reading First, Teacher and Principal Training and Recruitment, Enhancing Education through Technology, Innovative Programs, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. Like states that receive State-Flex authority from the Secretary, the selected four to 10 school districts will gain flexibility in use of funds under these programs: Teacher and Principal Training and Recruitment, Enhancing Education through Technology, Safe and Drug-Free Schools, and Innovative Programs.

In addition, another flexibility demonstration established under NCLB, the Local Flexibility Demonstration Program, will provide increased flexibility to 80 additional school districts. Those districts will commit to performance agreements with Secretary Paige in exchange for more flexibility. Districts in states with approved State-Flex plans are not eligible for the separate Local-Flex authority.

For more information, please visit http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=pb or www.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/flexibility/index.html

###

Top

Back to June 2002