President Bush's signature No Child Left Behind education law is headed for fundamental changes as Congress rewrites it this year, including a likely softening of do-or-die deadlines.
School administrators long have complained about the annual deadlines, which punish schools that do not make adequate progress toward having all children perform at their grade levels.
School officials also have rebelled at requirements that students with limited English ability or with learning disabilities perform as well as their grade-level peers.
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Democrats, who control the federal purse strings, are demanding changes. Moderate Republicans say the law must be more flexible. On Thursday, they were joined by dozens of GOP conservatives who want an even more radical overhaul.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Congress-No-Child.html