Education officials to consider plan to get state out of jam

PHOENIX (AP) — Education officials are expected to consider a plan to get Arizona out of a jam with the federal government by changing the state's testing regime for high school students, at least for the next two years.

The Arizona Daily Star reports that a proposed plan to be considered by the state Board of Education on April 29 would retain use of the AZMerit test in a revised form, rolling back a decision to allow school districts to instead use a variety of assessments. That so-called menu became a problem when federal officials denied Arizona's request for a waiver from a federal requirement for one statewide standardized test.

The Arizona Capitol Times recently reported that up to $300 million of federal funding could be withheld.