FIND COLLEGES BY:

Six years since No Child Left Behind was signed into law, most states are failing to pass muster with the government over student testing and may lose money unless they improve quickly.

“The Education Department says 34 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have major problems with the tests that were supposed to be in place in the just-ended school year. They will get federal approval only if they correct the problems in the coming year. In addition, Nebraska and Maine had their testing systems rejected outright.”

According to a CNN.com article, every state did have testing in the required grades. But many states still have significant problems, such as developing exams for disabled or limited-English students, or ensuring that tests are technically sound.

Deputy Education Secretary Ray Simon said the states’ overall performances were positive. Even the 36 jurisdictions whose approval remains pending probably will get the federal OK within a year, he said.

“I think maybe the scope of the work was just more broad, difficult and time-consuming than many of them thought,” Simon said Thursday. “I don’t think there was any attempt for them to sit back, do nothing and say, ‘Let’s see how much we can get away with.”‘

States that have fallen short must submit a plan and a timeline for improvements. They may appeal their status, too. Those with continued problems could lose 10 percent to 25 percent of their federal administrative money.