Back to School

From Michigan to Kansas to Tennessee, states have been begging for a reprieve from the tough grading in the 2002 No Child Left Behind law. On Aug. 8, Education Secretary Arne Duncan responded, announcing that states willing to adopt Administration-backed reforms can apply for waivers from the law’s central benchmarking standards and sanctions. In exchange for actions such as tackling achievement gaps, improving the lowest-performing schools and crafting “meaningful” teacher-evaluation systems, the Department of Education plans to waive the 2014 deadline for all students to be proficient in math and reading. Further details of the plan and applications for the waivers won’t be out until mid-September, but at least five states have shown interest.

Duncan’s revision is a challenge to Congress to move on revamping the law. A provision allows for the Secretary to waive a number of statutory requirements, but some critics have balked at this use of executive authority. Duncan says the Hill has been dithering and that the law has been “a slow-motion train wreck.” Says DOE press secretary Justin Hamilton: “We didn’t invent this authority, and it’s not the first time it’s been used.” It’s unclear how the new deals will fare when Congress eventually gets around to updating the legislation.

ENERGY

Arctic Drilling

Disappointing environmentalists, the Obama Administration gave a conditional go-ahead on Aug. 4 to the Shell Oil Co.’s plans to drill in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska. Mainland Alaska has been a major oil producer for decades, but no one has yet drilled in the Arctic waters–in part because a spill in the fragile north could be devastating. But the payoff might be great. There is as much as 27 billion barrels of oil in the Alaskan Arctic. For a White House struggling to be seen as pro-energy, the risk may be worth it.

GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER

INCUMBENTS UP FOR RECALL ON AUG. 9

ELECTION RESULTS

WISCONSIN

Split Recall Decision in Madison

In a fierce union-led recall election, Democrats ousted two GOP state senators Aug. 9 but fell one seat short of regaining control of the state senate. The recall effort came after Governor Scott Walker and the GOP-controlled legislature stripped some collective-bargaining rights from state workers, who vowed revenge. The campaign drew vast amounts of out-of-state funds, but as a proxy for the national austerity battle, it proved inconclusive.

THE POLLS

Obama Slips Again

President Obama’s job-approval rating averaged below 50% in a majority of states during the first half of 2011, according to data collected by Gallup. Ratings didn’t top 45% in key swing states like Indiana, Ohio and Nevada, which the Democrats turned from red to blue in 2008. This could signal trouble for the President’s re-election effort.

[The following text appears within a map. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual map.]

Obama’s ratings January–June 2011

ABOVE AVERAGE

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

SOURCE: GALLUP

HOT NUMBER 88.9°

Oklahoma’s average temperature in July–the highest for a state in U.S. history