Report: Despite Walters trying to implement it, Trump admin says Walters’ testing elimination plan 'nowhere near' approved

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Trump administration says it has not approved Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ plan to replace statewide end-of-year testing with local assessments, and federal and state law still prevent it from taking effect. A senior U.S. Department of Education official told KGOU Thursday the department has not given Oklahoma the green light to replace statewide tests with local “benchmark assessments.” The official told KGOU that Walters’ office would first need to apply for a federal waiver before any change could be approved. That process requires OSDE to go through a public comment period, consult with school districts, and then demonstrate how that feedback was incorporated before the department will even consider granting the waiver. “This is in no way appro