New Mexico details its request for student testing waiver

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico education officials have released details of a request to the federal government to waive some standardized testing requirements this year due to the pandemic.

In a letter to the U.S. Department of Education, they ask for an exemption from the requirement to test 95% of students.

Instead, they want to test at least 1% of students and gather a representative sample.

Officials say testing even half the student population would be challenging under the virus restrictions.

Under the plan, the state would provide all families the option to have their students tested this spring, but not require them to do so.