Five more states have been granted relief from key requirements of the Bush-era No Child Left Behind law, bringing the total to 24 states given waivers, the US Education Department said Friday.

Arkansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia will be freed from the federal law’s requirement that all students test proficient in math and reading by 2014, a goal the nation remains far from achieving.

In exchange, the states and all others granted waivers must develop accountability plans that set new targets for raising achievement, advancing teacher effectiveness, preparing all students for careers and college, and improving the performance of low-performing schools.

Democrats and Republicans in Congress agree the No Child Left Behind law, which was passed in 2001, is broken but have been unable to agree on how to fix it.