NEW: President Obama says the decision came after "waiting far too long" for Congress to act Washington (CNN) -- Ten states are being granted waivers to free them from parts of the No Child Left Behind law, the White House said Thursday. "After waiting far too long for Congress to reform No Child Left Behind, my administration is giving states the opportunity to set higher, more honest standards in exchange for more flexibility," President Barack Obama said in a news release. The president added that "if we're serious about helping our children reach their potential, the best ideas aren't going to come from Washington alone. Our job is to harness those ideas, and to hold states and schools accountable for making them work. In exchange for the flexibility, the states "have agreed to raise standards, improve accountability, and undertake essential reforms to improve teacher effectiveness," the White House said. New Mexico also requested such flexibility, and the Obama administration is working closely with that state, the White House said. Another 28 states, Puerto Rico, and District of Columbia have indicated plans to also seek such flexibility, the White House said. The law included a focus on measuring student outcomes, largely from standardized tests. But the law is a source of controversy, with opponents arguing it is turning classrooms into test preparation centers, taking time away from subjects that aren't tested, and potentially contributing to cheating scandals. Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the law drives down standards, weakens accountability, causes narrowing of the curriculum and labels too many schools as failing, the White House said in the news release. "Moreover, the law mandates unworkable remedies at the federal level instead of allowing local educators to make spending decisions," it said. The law has been in need of reauthorization since 2007. To get the waivers, states have to adopt and have a plan to implement "college and career-ready standards," the White House said. They must also create comprehensive systems of teacher and principal development, evaluation and support that include factors beyond test scores, such as principal observation, peer review, student work, or parent and student feedback. CNN's Alex Mooney, Donna Krache and Josh Levs contributed to this report.