With the approval Friday of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waivers for Washington State and Wisconsin, more than half the states are now moving forward with their own accountability plans for schools. 

President Obama directed the US Department of Education last year to start the waiver process to give states flexibility from some parts of the federal law, which has been due for a rewrite since 2007.

In exchange, states have to show detailed plans for preparing all students for college and careers, targeting federal aid to the students most in need, and pushing for better evaluation and support of teachers and principals.

Twenty-six states have now had waiver plans approved. Another 10 states, plus the District of Columbia, have waiver applications pending.