10 states freed from some 'No Child Left Behind' rules From Alex Mooney, CNN White House Producer February 9, 2012 -- Updated 1516 GMT (2316 HKT) The 10 states will not have to meet 2014 targets set by the law The states have agreed to raise standards and undertake reforms The law has needed reauthorization since 2007 Washington (CNN) -- Ten states are being granted waivers to free them from parts of the No Child Left Behind law, a White House official told CNN Thursday. President Barack Obama will make the announcement Thursday, saying that the states "that have agreed to implement bold reforms around standards and accountability will receive flexibility from the most burdensome mandates of No Child Left Behind," the official said. The states are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. They will no longer have to meet 2014 targets set by the law. "In exchange for this flexibility, states have agreed to raise standards, improve accountability, and undertake essential reforms to improve teacher effectiveness," the official said. New Mexico also requested such flexibility, and the Obama administration is working closely with that state, the official said. Another 28 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, have indicated plans to also seek such flexibility, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in advance of the announcement. President Bush signed No Child Left Behind into law 10 years ago. One of the bipartisan bill's sponsors was the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts. The law included a focus on measuring student outcomes largely from standardized tests. Some supporters say it has helped close an achievement gap between disadvantaged students and others. But the law is a source of controversy, with opponents arguing it was turning classrooms into test preparation centers, taking time away from subjects that aren't tested, and potentially contributing to cheating scandals. The bill has been in need of reauthorization since 2007. Last year, the Obama administration announced that states could apply for waivers from some provisions of the law if they meet other federal mandates. "No Child Left Behind is more than five years overdue for a rewrite," the White House official said Thursday. Our kids can't afford wait any longer for Congress to act. "Current law labels too many schools as failing, dictates unworkable remedies, and results in driving down standards, weakening accountability, and narrowing the curriculum," the official said. Based on standards set by the law, more schools were listed as failing last year than in any previous year since the law's passage. About 48% of schools did not make what's called "adequate yearly progress" in 2011, up from 39% in 2010, according to the Center on Education Policy. CNN's Donna Krache and Josh Levs contributed to this report.