UPDATE: Thursday, February 9, 2012

President Barack Obama says his decision to free 10 states from the No Child Left Behind education law will give the flexibility they need to set high standards for students and hold schools accountable.

The president spoke Thursday at the White House. He says he's giving 10 states waivers from the strict and sweeping requirements. The states are getting leeway in exchange for promises to improve the way schools teach and evaluate students.

The president says states need to ensure that "every student should have the same opportunity to reach their potential."

President Obama says he's acting because Congress failed to update the law, despite widespread agreement it needs to be fixed.

The 10 states are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

The Associated Press has learned that President Barack Obama on Thursday will free 10 states from the strict requirements of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law. The move gives long-sought leeway to states that promise to improve how they prepare and evaluate students.

A White House official says the states are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee. The official says the only state that applied for but was denied the flexibility is New Mexico, which is working to get approval. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the states had not been announced.

The law requires all students to be proficient in reading and math by 2014. Obama's action strips away that requirement in exchange for a viable substitute plan.