Leaders of LULAC Florida, noting the federal government's "significant concerns" with the state's NCLB waiver request, have urged US Education Secretary Arne Duncan to heed those concerns when considering the proposal.

State director Jose Fernandez wrote in a letter to Duncan (attached below) that the Hispanic group, which pays a lot of attention to English-language learner issues, was not consulted as state officials prepared the waiver application on ELL issues.

Further, Fernandez stated, the state plan does little to move toward English language proficiency standards, and does not indicate how ESOL training will be incorporated into teacher professional education — among other issues LULAC has with the request.

What does the group want?

"LULAC Florida requests that the USDOE defer its decision on the FDOE waiver application until the areas of concern presented above have been adequately addressed by the FDOE," Fernandez wrote.

Meanwhile, state officials talk as if the waiver is all but done, as they do things such as change the state school grading system. Keep an eye on this one as the Obama administration walks the tightrope of its education policy in an election year when Hispanic votes matter greatly.