82 FR 46799 - Notice of Waivers Granted Under Section 9401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as Amended

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 193 (October 6, 2017)

In this notice, we announce the waivers that the U.S. Department of Education (Department) granted during calendar year 2015 under the waiver authority in section 9401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA), including waivers related to flexibilities granted to States in exchange for State-led reforms (ESEA flexibility). The ESEA requires that the Department publish in the Federal Register, and disseminate to interested parties, a notice of its decision to grant a waiver of statutory or regulatory requirements under the ESEA. Between 2011 and 2016, the Department granted more than 800 waivers of statutory or regulatory requirements to State educational agencies (SEAs) but neglected to comply with the ESEA's publication and dissemination requirements. This notice is intended to fulfill the Department's obligation to publicize its waiver decisions by identifying the waivers granted during each calendar year.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46799-46803]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21619]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Waivers Granted Under Section 9401 of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as Amended

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, we announce the waivers that the U.S. 
Department of Education (Department) granted during calendar year 2015 
under the waiver authority in section 9401 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind 
Act of 2001 (ESEA), including waivers related to flexibilities granted 
to States in exchange for State-led reforms (ESEA flexibility).
    The ESEA requires that the Department publish in the Federal 
Register, and disseminate to interested parties, a notice of its 
decision to grant a waiver of statutory or regulatory requirements 
under the ESEA. Between 2011 and 2016, the Department granted more than 
800 waivers of statutory or regulatory requirements to State 
educational agencies (SEAs) but neglected to comply with the ESEA's 
publication and dissemination requirements. This notice is intended to 
fulfill the Department's obligation to publicize its waiver decisions 
by identifying the waivers granted during each calendar year.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kia Weems, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W341, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 260-2221 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2015, the Department granted waivers 
under ESEA flexibility to 43 States under the waiver authority in 
section 9401 of the ESEA, in exchange for rigorous and comprehensive 
State-developed plans designed to improve student academic achievement 
and increase the quality of instruction. An additional 93 waivers that 
were not part of ESEA flexibility also were granted under the waiver 
authority in section 9401 of the ESEA. We granted:
    a. Ten waivers under ESEA flexibility to each of 43 States granting 
flexibility from ESEA requirements to improve student academic 
achievement and increase the quality of instruction:
    1. Allowing SEAs flexibility to select one of three options for 
setting new ambitious, but achievable annual measurable objectives 
(AMOs);
    2. Allowing flexibility in implementation of school improvement 
requirements to relieve local educational agencies (LEAs) of the 
requirement to identify schools for improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring, as appropriate, and to take certain improvement actions 
in identified schools;
    3. Allowing flexibility in implementation of LEA improvement 
requirements to relieve SEAs of the requirement to identify LEAs for 
improvement or corrective action, as appropriate, and to take certain 
improvement actions for identified LEAs;
    4. Granting flexibility for rural LEAs;
    5. Permitting LEAs to operate a schoolwide program in a priority 
school or a focus school that does not meet the 40 percent poverty 
threshold and is implementing a schoolwide intervention;
    6. Allowing SEAs flexibility to distribute school improvement funds 
to LEAs for use in priority and focus schools;
    7. Allowing funds reserved for State awards program to go to any 
reward school;
    8. Relating to highly qualified teacher (HQT) improvement plan 
requirements;
    9. Relating to limitations on the transferability of certain funds; 
and
    10. Permitting SEAs flexibility to award School Improvement Grant 
(SIG) funds to an LEA to implement one of the four SIG models in any 
priority school.
    In addition to waiving the 10 provisions listed above, the 
Department granted three optional waivers to 43 States under ESEA 
flexibility related to the following:
    1. 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) 
requirements, allowing SEAs flexibility to permit community learning 
centers to use 21st CCLC funds to support expanded learning time during 
the school day in addition to activities during non-school hours or 
periods when school is not in session;
    2. Requirements to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) 
determinations; and
    3. Requirements pertaining to Title I, Part A within-district 
allocations;
    b. Forty-five waivers extending the period in which funds were 
available for obligation: 40 waivers for school improvement activities, 
one waiver for Consolidated Grant funds for Insular Areas, one waiver 
for State assessment activities, and three waivers extending the period 
for SIG carryover funds;
    c. One waiver granting LEAs additional time to meet teacher and 
principal evaluation requirements for cohort 5 SIG schools;
    d. Five waivers allowing SEAs to approve schools or LEAs identified 
as in need of improvement to become supplemental educational services 
(SES) providers;
    e. Ten waivers of requirements pertaining to State academic 
standards or assessments: Four waivers allowing substitution of 
standards or assessments and six waivers exempting SEAs or LEAs from 
reporting assessment or accountability determinations;
    f. Fourteen waivers of the third of three annual measureable 
achievement objectives (AMAOs 3) under Title III, due to lack of 
assessment data in the 2014-2015 school year;
    g. Two waivers allowing SEAs flexibility to distribute section 
1003(a) funds to LEAs for use in priority and focus schools;
    h. Five waivers of the requirement to make AYP determinations;
    i. Six waivers allowing LEAs to carry out significant education 
reforms to improve student achievement;
    j. Two waivers authorizing an SEA to waive the carryover limitation 
for an LEA that needs an additional waiver;
    k. One waiver of the requirement to provide parents notice of 
public school choice options at least 14 days before the start of the 
school year;
    l. One waiver pertaining to school support and recognition allowing 
flexibility in the use of funds reserved for State awards program to go 
to any reward school; and

[[Page 46800]]

    m. One waiver enabling LEAs to use the term ``highly qualified 
teacher'' to refer to a teacher who received a summative rating of 
``effective,'' ``highly effective,'' or ``exemplary'' and earned at 
least 50 percent of the possible student achievement measures in the 
State's teacher evaluation and support system.

Waiver Data

I. ESEA Flexibility Renewals To Continue To Improve Student Academic 
Achievement and Increase the Quality of Instruction

A. Flexibility Regarding the 2013-14 Timeline for Setting AMOs

    Allowed SEAs flexibility to develop new ambitious but achievable 
AMOs in reading/language arts and mathematics in order to provide 
meaningful goals that will be used to guide support and improvement 
efforts for the State, LEAs, schools, and student subgroups.
    Provisions waived: Section 1111(b)(2)(E) through (H) of the ESEA.

B. Flexibility in Implementation of School Improvement Requirements

    1. Granted flexibility relating to the requirement for LEAs to 
identify schools for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring 
and corresponding requirements. Section 1116(b)(13), which requires 
LEAs to permit a child who has transferred to remain in the choice 
school through the highest grade in the school, was not waived.
    Provision waived: Section 1116(b) of the ESEA (except (b)(13)).
    2. Waivers granting flexibility of the requirement for SEAs and 
LEAs to take a variety of actions to offer SES to eligible students in 
schools identified for improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring.
    Provision waived: Section 1116(e) of the ESEA.

C. Flexibility in Implementation of LEA Improvement Requirements

    Granted flexibility with respect to the requirement that SEAs 
identify LEAs for improvement and corrective action and take certain 
action in those LEAs.
    Provisions waived: Section 1116(c)(3) and (5)-(11) of the ESEA.

D. Flexibility for Rural LEAs

    1. Allowed flexibility to use Small, Rural School Achievement 
Program (SRSA) funds regardless of the AYP status of the LEA so that 
LEAs receiving SRSA funds that fail to make AYP may continue to use 
these funds.
    Provision waived: Section 6213(b) of the ESEA.
    2. Allowed SEAs flexibility to permit an LEA to continue to receive 
a Rural and Low-Income School program (RLIS) grant even if the LEA 
fails to make AYP.
    Provision waived: Section 6224(e) of the ESEA.

E. Flexibility for Schoolwide Programs

    Waivers permitted LEAs to operate a schoolwide program in a 
priority school or a focus school that does not meet the schoolwide 
poverty threshold of 40 percent and is implementing a schoolwide 
intervention.
    Provision waived: Section 1114(a)(1) of the ESEA.

F. Flexibility To Support School Improvement

    Waivers regarding the State-level reservations to support school 
improvement, allowing SEAs flexibility to distribute reserved funds to 
LEAs for use in priority and focus schools. The required reservation 
was not waived; the waiver merely permitted an SEA to distribute the 
funds to schools that were not identified for improvement, corrective 
action, or restructuring.
    Provision waived: Section 1003(a) of the ESEA.

G. Flexibility in the Use of Funds Reserved for State Award Programs

    Allowed funds reserved for State awards programs to go to any 
reward school.
    Provision waived: Section 1117(b)(1)(B) of the ESEA.

H. Waivers Regarding HQT Improvement Plans

    Waived the requirements regarding HQT improvement plans and related 
technical assistance and provided flexibility with respect to the use 
of Title I, Part A funds for paraprofessionals.
    Provisions waived: Section 2141(a)-(c) of the ESEA.

I. Flexibility To Transfer Certain Funds

    1. Permitted the SEA to transfer up to 100 percent of the amount 
from a covered program into another covered program or into Title I, 
Part A.
    Provision waived: Section 6123(a) of the ESEA.
    2. Permitted LEAs flexibility in percentage limitations as well as 
in the use of transferred funds.
    Provision waived: Section 6123(b)(1) of the ESEA.
    3. Waivers of the requirements relating to modification of plans 
and notice of transfer.
    Provision waived: Section 6123(d) of the ESEA.
    4. Permitted LEAs flexibility to exclude funds transferred into 
Title I, Part A from the base in calculating any set-aside percentages.
    Provision waived: Section 6123(e)(1) of the ESEA.

J. Flexibility To Use SIG Funds To Support Priority Schools

    Permitted SEAs to award SIG funds to an LEA to implement one of the 
four SIG models (Turnaround, Restart, Closure, Transformation) in any 
priority school.
    Provisions waived: Section 1003(g)(4) of the ESEA and section I.A.3 
of the notice of final requirements for SIG Grants, published in the 
Federal Register on October 28, 2010 (74 FR 65618).

K. Flexibility in the Use of 21st CCLC Program Funds

    Permitted an eligible entity that received funds under the 21st 
CCLC program to use those funds to support expanded learning time 
during the school day, week, or year in addition to activities during 
non-school hours or periods when school is not in session.
    Provisions waived: Sections 4201(b)(1)(A) and 4204(b)(2)(A) of the 
ESEA.

L. Flexibility Regarding Making AYP Determinations

    Waived the requirements to make AYP determinations. Instead, an SEA 
and its LEAs would report on their report cards performance against the 
AMOs for all subgroups identified in section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v) of the 
ESEA, and would use performance against the AMOs to support continuous 
improvement in Title I schools.
    Provisions waived: Section 1116(a)(1)(A)-(B) and (c)(1)(A) of the 
ESEA.

M. Flexibility Regarding Within-District Title I Allocations

    Permitted an LEA to serve with Title I funds a Title I-eligible 
high school with a graduation rate below 60 percent that the SEA 
identified as a priority school even if that school did not rank 
sufficiently high to be served based solely on the school's poverty 
rate.
    Provisions waived: Section 1113(a)(3)-(4) and (c)(1) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicants:

 Alabama State Department of Education
 Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
 Arizona Department of Education
 Arkansas Department of Education
 Colorado Department of Education
 Connecticut State Department of Education
 Delaware Department of Education
 District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of 
Education

[[Page 46801]]

 Florida Department of Education
 Georgia Department of Education
 Hawaii State Department of Education
 Idaho State Department of Education
 Indiana Department of Education
 Kansas State Department of Education
 Kentucky Department of Education
 Louisiana Department of Education
 Maine Department of Education
 Maryland State Department of Education
 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
 Michigan Department of Education
 Minnesota Department of Education
 Mississippi Department of Education
 Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
 Nevada Department of Education
 New Hampshire Department of Education
 New Jersey Department of Education
 New Mexico Public Education Department
 New York State Education Department
 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
 Ohio Department of Education
 Oklahoma State Department of Education
 Oregon Department of Education
 Pennsylvania Department of Education
 Puerto Rico Department of Education
 Rhode Island Department of Education
 South Carolina Department of Education
 South Dakota Department of Education
 Tennessee Department of Education
 Texas Education Agency
 Utah State Office of Education
 Virginia Department of Education
 West Virginia Department of Education
 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

II. Extensions of the Obligation Period

A. Forty Waivers To Extend the Period of Availability of SIG Funds

    1. Extended the period of availability of fiscal year (FY) 2010 SIG 
funds awarded to two States under section 1003(g) of the ESEA.
    Provision waived: Tydings Amendment, section 421(b) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (GEPA) (20 U.S.C. 1225(b)).
    Waiver Applicants:

 Illinois State Board of Education
 Tennessee Department of Education

    2. Extended the period of availability of FY 2011 SIG funds awarded 
to two States under section 1003(g) of the ESEA.
    Provision waived: Tydings Amendment, section 421(b) of GEPA (20 
U.S.C. 1225(b)).
    Waiver Applicants:

 Illinois State Board of Education
 Minnesota Department of Education

    3. Extended the period of availability of FY 2012 SIG funds awarded 
to seven States under section 1003(g) of the ESEA.
    Provision waived: Tydings Amendment, section 421(b) of GEPA (20 
U.S.C. 1225(b)).
    Waiver Applicants:

 California Department of Education
 Minnesota Department of Education
 New Hampshire Department of Education
 New Jersey Department of Education
 Ohio Department of Education
 Tennessee Department of Education
 Virginia Department of Education

    4. Extended the period of availability of FY 2013 SIG funds awarded 
to two States under section 1003(g) of the ESEA.
    Provision waived: Tydings Amendment, section 421(b) of GEPA (20 
U.S.C. 1225(b)).
    Waiver Applicants:

 Rhode Island Department of Education
 South Carolina Department of Education

    5. Extended the period of availability of FY 2014 SIG funds awarded 
to 25 States under section 1003(g) of the ESEA.
    Provision waived: Tydings Amendment, section 421(b) of GEPA (20 
U.S.C. 1225(b)).
    Waiver Applicants:

 Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
 California Department of Education
 Florida Department of Education
 Georgia Department of Education
 Hawaii State Department of Education
 Illinois State Board of Education
 Iowa Department of Education
 Louisiana Department of Education
 Maryland State Department of Education
 Michigan Department of Education
 Mississippi Department of Education
 Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
 Montana Office of Public Instruction
 New Jersey Department of Education
 New Mexico Public Education Department
 North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
 North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
 Ohio Department of Education
 Rhode Island Department of Education
 South Carolina Department of Education
 South Dakota Department of Education
 Utah State Office of Education
 Virginia Department of Education
 West Virginia Department of Education
 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

B. One Waiver To Extend the Period of Availability of Funds Received 
Under Section 1003(g) of the ESEA and Included in the Consolidated 
Grant Funds for Insular Areas

    Provision waived: Tydings Amendment, section 421(b) of GEPA (20 
U.S.C. 1225(b)).
    Waiver Applicant:

 Virgin Islands Department of Education

C. One Waiver To Extend the Period of Availability of Funds for State 
Assessments and Related Activities Awarded Under Section 6113(b) of the 
ESEA

    Provision waived: Tydings Amendment, section 421(b) of GEPA (20 
U.S.C. 1225(b)).
    Waiver Applicant:

 North Dakota Department of Public Instruction

D. Three Waivers To Carry Over SIG Funds To Allow States To Award Funds 
to LEAs Through a Competition To Be Conducted During the 2015-2016 
School Year

    Provision waived: Section 1003(g) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicants:

 Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
 Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
 Utah State Office of Education

III. Waiver of SIG Requirements

One Waiver Granting an LEA Additional Time To Meet Teacher and 
Principal Evaluation Requirements

    Provision waived: Section I.A.2(d)(1)(i)(B) of the SIG final 
requirements (75 FR 66363).
    Waiver Applicant:

 Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

    Description of Waiver: Allowed the State to permit an LEA that was 
implementing the transformation model during the 2013-2014 school year 
with SIG funds, which required development and implementation of a 
teacher and principal evaluation system, to have additional time to 
meet the teacher and principal evaluation requirement in a

[[Page 46802]]

school that was not able to do so that year.

IV. Waivers Allowing SEAs To Approve Schools or LEAs Identified as in 
Need of Improvement To Become SES Providers

Five Waivers To Permit SEAs To Approve a School or LEA Identified for 
Improvement, Corrective Action, or Restructuring To Serve as an SES 
Provider

    Provisions waived: 34 CFR 200.47(b)(1)(iv)(A) and (B).

    Waiver Applicants:

 Iowa Department of Education
 Montana Office of Public Instruction
 North Dakota Office of Public Instruction
 Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
 Wyoming Department of Education

    Description of Waiver: To permit State to approve a school or LEA 
identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring to 
serve as an SES provider for the 2015-2016 school years.

V. Waivers of Requirements Related to State Academic Standards and 
Assessments

A. Four Waivers Allowing Substitution of Standards or Assessments

    Provisions waived: Section 1111(b)(1)(B) and (3)(C)(i) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicants:

 Hawaii State Department of Education
 New Mexico Public Education Department

    Description of Waiver: One-year waiver for the 2014-2015 school 
year of the statutory and regulatory requirements under Title I, Part A 
of the ESEA that required the State to apply the same academic 
achievement standards, and used the same academic assessments, for all 
public school children in the State.
    Waiver Applicant:

 New Jersey Department of Education

    Description of Waiver: One-year waiver for the 2014-2015 school 
year of the statutory and regulatory requirements under Title I, Part A 
of the ESEA so that New Jersey could use, with respect to a student who 
was not yet enrolled in high school but who took advanced, high school 
level mathematics coursework and the corresponding advanced, high 
school level assessment, the student's score on that assessment for 
Federal accountability purposes for the grade in which the student was 
enrolled.
    Waiver Applicant:

 Oklahoma State Department of Education

    Description of Waiver: One-year waiver for the 2014-2015 school 
year of the statutory and regulatory requirements under Title I, Part A 
of the ESEA so that Oklahoma could use, with respect to a student who 
was not yet enrolled in high school but who took advanced, high school 
level mathematics coursework and the corresponding advanced, high 
school level assessment, that student's score on that assessment for 
Federal accountability purposes for the grade in which the student was 
enrolled.

B. Six Waivers of Requirements Related to Reporting Assessment Results 
or Accountability Determinations

    Provision waived: Section 1111(b)(2)(C)(v)(II)(cc) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 California Department of Education

    Description of Waiver: Allowed California to exclude the 
achievement of students with the most significant cognitive 
disabilities who participated in the field tests in the 2014-2015 
school year from the calculation of performance against AMOs for a 
school or LEA in which such students were enrolled.
    Provision waived: Section 1111(b)(3)(C)(xii) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 California Department of Education
    Description of Waiver: The waiver permitted California and its LEAs 
to refrain from producing or providing individual student interpretive, 
descriptive, and diagnostic reports that included information regarding 
achievement on State assessments for students with the most significant 
cognitive disabilities who participated in the field tests in the 2014-
2015 school year.
    Provision waived: Section 1111(b)(3)(C)(xii) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 Hawaii State Department of Education

    Description of Waiver: Waived the requirement to provide individual 
student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic reports that included 
information regarding achievement on State assessments to parents, 
teachers, and principals as soon as it was practically possible after 
an assessment was given.
    Provisions waived: Section 1111(h) and (b)(2)(C)(v)(II) of the 
ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 Mississippi Department of Education
    Description of Waiver: Waiver approved accountability flexibility 
under ESEA flexibility with respect to Armstrong Middle School and 
Starkville High School.
    Provisions waived: Section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i) and (2)(B) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 California Department of Education

    Description of Waiver: Permitted California and its LEAs to refrain 
from including the results of students with the most significant 
cognitive disabilities who participated in the field tests in the 2014-
2015 school year in reporting student achievement on State and local 
report cards.

VI. AMAO 3 Determinations--AMAO Determinations

Fourteen Waivers of the Requirement To Make AMAO 3 Determinations

    One-year waiver of the achievement component of AMAO 3 to permit 
LEAs receiving Title III subgrants that did not have assessment data to 
demonstrate they met the AMO component of AMAO 3 for the 2014-2015 
school year due to the transition to new assessments to continue the 
same Title III interventions in the 2015-2016 school year that they 
implemented in the 2014-2015 school year.
    Provision waived: Section 3122(a)(3)(A)(iii) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicants:

 Arizona Department of Education
 Connecticut State Department of Education
 Delaware Department of Education
 Florida Department of Education
 Georgia Department of Education
 Idaho State Department of Education
 Indiana Department of Education
 Montana Office of Public Instruction
 Oregon Department of Education
 Rhode Island Department of Education
 South Carolina Department of Education
 South Dakota Department of Education
 Utah State Office of Education
 Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

VII. Waivers Allowing Flexibility To Support School Improvement

Two Waivers of State-Level Reservations To Support School Improvement

    Waivers related to State-level reservations to support school 
improvement, allowing SEAs flexibility to distribute funds to LEAs for 
use in priority and focus schools. The required reservation was not 
waived; the waiver merely permitted an SEA to distribute the funds to 
schools that were not identified for improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring.

[[Page 46803]]

    Provision waived: Section 1003(a) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicants:

 Texas Education Agency
 Virginia Department of Education

VIII. Waivers of the Requirement To Make AYP Determinations

Five Waivers of the Requirement To Make AYP Determinations Based on 
Assessment Results

    One-year waiver of the statutory and regulatory requirements under 
Title I, Part A of the ESEA that required an LEA and an SEA, 
respectively, to use the results from the State's academic assessments 
to make AYP determinations for schools and LEAs.
    Provisions waived: Section 1116(a)(1)(A) and (c)(1)(A) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicants:

 California Department of Education
 Montana Office of Public Instruction
 North Dakota Department of Public Instructions
 Vermont Agency of Education
 Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

IX. Waivers Allowing SEAs To Carry Out Significant Education Reforms

Six Waivers Allowing LEAs To Carry Out Significant Education Reforms To 
Improve Student Achievement

    Waivers to carry out significant education reforms to improve 
student achievement for school year 2015-2016.
    Provisions waived: Sections 1113(a)(3)-(4) and (c)(1), 1114(a)(1), 
1116(b) (except (b)(13)) and (c)(7), 2141(a), and 6123(b)(1), (d)(2), 
and (e)(1) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicants:

 Fresno Unified School District--California Office of Reform 
Education (CORE)
 Los Angeles Unified School District--CORE
 Long Beach Unified School District--CORE
 Oakland Unified School District--CORE
 Santa Ana Unified School District--CORE
 San Francisco Unified School District--CORE

X. Waivers Authorizing SEAs To Waive the Carryover Limitation

Two Waivers Authorizing SEAs To Waive the Carryover Limitation for LEAs

    Waivers authorizing SEAs to waive the carryover limitation for an 
LEA that needed an additional waiver beyond what the SEA was otherwise 
authorized to grant.
    Provision waived: Section 1127(b) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 Michigan Department of Education

    Description of Waiver: One-year waiver allowed Michigan to grant 
five LEAs a waiver of the carryover limitation with respect to FY 2013 
Title I, Part A funds even if the LEA received a carryover waiver of 
either its FY 2011 or FY 2012 Title I, Part A funds from the State.
    Waiver Applicant:

 Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction

    Description of Waiver: One-year waiver allowed Washington to grant 
specific LEAs a waiver of the carryover limitation with respect to 
unexpended FY 2014 Title I, Part A funds even if an LEA received a 
carryover waiver of either its FY 2012 or FY 2013 Title I, Part A funds 
from the State.

XI. Waiver Regarding Public School Choice Notice

One Waiver Regarding Notification of Public School Choice

    Waived the requirement for an LEA to provide parents of eligible 
students with notice as to their public school choice options at least 
14 days before the start of the school year. This waiver applied only 
to the notice required for parents of children attending the three 
Title I schools that either were newly identified for improvement for 
the 2015-2016 school year or that could have exited improvement, 
corrective action, or restructuring based on the assessments 
administered in the 2014-2015 school year, but did not.
    Provisions waived: Section 1116(b)(1)(E)(i) of the ESEA and 34 CFR 
200.37(b)(4)(iv).
    Waiver Applicant:

 Wyoming Department of Education

XII. Waiver Allowing Flexibility in the Use of Funds Reserved for State 
Award Programs

One Waiver Allowing Flexibility in the Use of Funds Reserved for State 
Award Programs

    Waiver allowed funds reserved for State awards programs to go to 
any reward school and extended the period of availability of 
Wisconsin's FY 2013 Title I school rewards programs allocation until 
September 30, 2016.
    Provision waived: Section 1117(b)(1)(B) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

XIII. Waiver Relating to Highly Qualified Teachers

A. One Waiver Allowing Flexibility Regarding the Definition of ``Highly 
Qualified Teacher''

    A waiver allowing, through the 2018-2019 school year, New Mexico's 
LEAs to apply to use the term ``highly qualified teacher'' to refer to 
a teacher who received a summative rating of ``effective,'' ``highly 
effective,'' or ``exemplary'' and, accordingly, has earned at least 50 
percent of the possible student achievement measures in New Mexico's 
teacher evaluation and support system, in lieu of meeting requirements 
in section 9101(23)(C)(ii) of the ESEA regarding subject-matter 
expertise.
    Provision waived: Section 9101(23)(C)(ii) of the ESEA.
    Waiver Applicant:

 New Mexico Public Education Department

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    Dated: October 3, 2017.
Jason Botel,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2017-21619 Filed 10-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P