To Waive Or Not To Waive?

The Obama Administration has announced it will allow states to apply for waivers to No Child Left Behind. (Related articles here and here.)

I don't know what I think about this- to me, what's the point of having the law in the first place if you're just going to allow states to opt out of it? This is where I think the 'government is evil' Republican crowd actually has a point to make- if education is local, do we need Federal mandates? Do we even need a Federal Department of Education? The overriding principle in education in this country has been that of local control- making a Federal law and then essentially saying 'oh, that's ok, you don't have to if you don't want to' pretty much undermines the legislation in the first place and as I'm sure writing the law, passing the law and setting up the standards demanded by the law all cost money, it also wastes more money.

I'll be blunt: when it comes to education, it's time to shit or get off the pot. If we're going to have a national system, let's go all in and do it. If not, then let's get the Federal Government's role in education down to tracking and rewarding innovation and success by individual states and school districts.