A new report suggests Wisconsin has some of the lowest standards in the nation when it comes to complying with No Child Left Behind.
The study by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation took 36 public schools and looked at them under the accountability standards used in 28 states to comply with the federal education law. The Foundation's Mike Petrilli says they found Wisconsin had some of the easiest standards set for elementary schools in the nation.
Petrilli says the results show Wisconsin's standards are too relaxed, which results in some schools getting a passing grade that shouldn't. He says that means some families are being lead to believe their child's school is doing fine, when it's actually not.
The report says the state should create stricter standards. It also advocates for national standards to evaluate compliance.
The state Department of Public Instruction says Wisconsin's accountability system is federally approved, and officials have used it to identify schools most in need of improvement.