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The Seattle public school system, facing a rebellion that stoked the national protest movement over standardized testing in U.S. public schools, is backing away from the contentious multiple-choice exam for its upcoming school year. Teachers, educators, and students at several Seattle schools staged a boycott in January against the computerized Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test, saying it was not aligned with the state's curriculum and produces "meaningless results" upon which teachers' performances are evaluated. The school system, which serves more than 45,000 students, had initially threatened protesting teachers with punishment, including a possible 10-day unpaid suspension, according to a memo obtained by Reuters. It later softened its stance, saying no teachers would be penalized. "High schools can opt out for the next academic year but they have to show evidence of another way to assess and monitor students," Seattle Public Schools spokes

Investigators will announce on Thursday the results of a probe into what caused last month's fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, that killed 14 people and obliterated sections of the small town, a state agency said on Tuesday. The State Fire Marshal's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will release the findings of their joint investigation at a news conference, according to a news release from the fire marshal's office.   Texas officials on Friday announced a criminal investigation into the blast. Investigators confirmed a week ago that ammonium nitrate stored at the West Fertilizer Co detonated in the April 17 explosion. The cause of the fire and subsequent blast at the facility, which also injured around 200 people, is expected to be announced by officials on Thursday. More than 70 investigators have developed more than 200 leads, from which more than 400 interviews have been conducted, investigators said last week. Investiga

California will spend an extra $2.9 billion on public education over the next two years thanks to higher-than-expected revenue, money that could help Governor Jerry Brown win support for his plan to funnel funds to the state's poorest districts. Brown announced the boost in spending on Tuesday as part of the annual mid-year revision of the state's budget projections, a ritual in California that marks the beginning of the legislative season for fighting over the next year's spending plan.   The extra money - mostly the result of higher property tax revenue from an improving housing market and a better general economy - could help Brown win support for his quest to dramatically reform the way California pays for education. It would send more money to the poorest school districts and allow local officials to spend the funds as they see fit. The plan has drawn criticism from suburban school districts and legislators on both sides of the aisle, who say it would leave commu

Governor Mark Dayton on Tuesday made Minnesota the nation's 12th state to allow same-sex couples to marry and only the second in the Midwest, signing a bill on the steps of the state Capitol before thousands of supporters. The Democratic governor's signature came a day after state senators approved the bill, which made Minnesota the third state this month to approve same-sex nuptials after Rhode Island and Delaware.   The Minnesota law takes effect on August 1 and Minneapolis, the state's biggest city, has already announced that city hall will open just after midnight on that day to hold marriage ceremonies. Iowa is the only other Midwestern state that permits same-sex couples to marry, by a state Supreme Court order in 2009. Opponents of the bill questioned whether the rights of religious groups and individuals who believe marriage should be only between one man and one woman will be protected. They also questioned the speed of the law's adoption. The votes wer

Governor Mark Dayton on Tuesday made Minnesota the nation's 12th state to allow same-sex couples to marry and only the second in the Midwest, signing a bill on the steps of the state Capitol before thousands of supporters. The Democratic governor's signature came a day after state senators approved the bill, which made Minnesota the third state this month to approve same-sex nuptials after Rhode Island and Delaware. The Minnesota law takes effect on August 1 and Minneapolis, the state's biggest city, said on Tuesday that City Hall would open just after midnight on the first day same-sex couples can marry and Mayor R.T. Rybak will be on hand to officiate that night. "It is now my honor to sign into law this next step for the state of Minnesota to fulfill its promise to every Minnesotan," Dayton told the crowd in St. Paul before signing the bill flanked by its key Democratic sponsors, Senator Scott Dibble and Representative Karen Clark. Iowa is the only other

President Barack Obama on Tuesday called the findings in a government report about the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups for extra scrutiny intolerable and said he has directed his administration to hold those responsible for the agency's actions accountable. "The report's findings are intolerable and inexcusable," Obama said in a statement on the Treasury Department's investigation. "The IRS must apply the law in a fair and impartial way, and its employees must act with utmost integrity. This report shows that some of its employees failed that test." Obama was commenting on a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration into IRS practices that came to light in recent days. The IRS had used key words such as "Tea Party" and "Patriot" for picking out applications by groups seeking tax-exempt status for extra scrutiny. Lois Lerner, a senior IRS official, apologized for the actions l

A U.S. Army sergeant who worked as a sexual assault prevention coordinator at Fort Hood, Texas, has been accused of sex crimes, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, the second man in the military's anti-sexual assault effort to be accused since last week. News of the investigation sparked renewed anger and frustration over military's inability to deal quickly with its sexual assault problem. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel expressed disappointment over the "breakdown in discipline" implied by the allegations, and lawmakers voiced outrage.   "This is sickening," said Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat. "Twice now, in a matter of as many weeks, we've seen the very people charged with protecting victims of sexual assault being charged as perpetrators." Representative Buck McKeon, a Republican who heads the House Armed Services Committee, said he was "outraged and disgusted" by the reports and that the chain of command bore some res