The name speaks for itself: No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Last week more than 600 PHS students were tested in reading and writing by the state. The standardized exams – the Arizona Instrument for Measuring Standards, or AIMS – is the result of President George W. Bush’s NCLB Act of 2002.

The goal of NCLB was to get students caught up with reading, writing and math by the year 2014. Critics nationwide say the plan was a failure, and the current administration is Ariz. could join ten states to abandon Bush-era No Child Left Behind, AIMS responding.

Now that the 2014 deadline is fast approaching and American students are nowhere near the set goal (with over one thousand public schools considered failing), President Barack Obama is taking action to encourage schools to make that goal at their own pace. Last month the president relieved ten states of NCLB: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

New Mexico applied for the initial NCLB waiver but was not approved. Like many states, Arizona has applied for the waiver on Feb. 21. The state says it wants to have more flexibility and freedom to reach their goals by their own strategy, because of how far behind they are in the overall goal.

Although they can be given more freedom, it doesn’t necessarily prohibit states from not being able to test their kids. After requesting to be on list, it will result in schools raising standards, and giving feedback on tests and performance. Also, if states do request that extension, they will have to prove that children are improving in other ways.

Some may even have to ensure that students are getting help before, in or after school, to keep the scores up. Focusing on students will be the schools number-one priority. While the goal was ambitious, critics say NCLB was generally impractical. States found it difficult to meet such a rigorous demand, casting doubt if the Bush NCLB act will just disappear altogether.