The Obama administration's proposal to make federal funding for disadvantaged students contingent on states' adoption of reading and math standards intended to prepare students for college or a career has drawn sharp criticism from groups representing grassroots educators and state lawmakers, even as some governors and members of Congress appear open to the idea. The proposal, which would be rolled into the administration's still-emerging plan for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, would link the law's flagship Title I program to a push for higher academic standards that has gained new national momentum. It would require states either to join with their counterparts in developing rigorous, college- and career-ready standards, or work with institutions of higher education to set standards that would ensure high school graduates are ready to enter postsecondary study or the workforce. Some advocates for local educators were quick to express their concerns about linking Title I aid for disadvantaged students to the adoption of college- and career-ready standards. The National School Boards Association released a statement last week saying that, although the Alexandria, Virginia-based organization supports voluntary, state-led efforts to craft more-uniform, rigorous standards, the administration's proposal "amounts to an unnecessary overreach by the federal government to coerce states to adopt a particular approach or be shut out of future funding for key programs." The plan was also blasted as federal overreaching by David Shreve, the senior education committee director for the National Conference of State Legislatures, based in Denver, who said there is no evidence that college- and career-readiness standards will lead to better student outcomes. And the National Association of Secondary School Principals warned that the proposal could result in a loss of federal funding for students in poverty if states opt not to revamp their standards. Governors and members of Congress, meanwhile, are taking more of a wait-and-see approach.