LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Federal officials have approved Nebraska’s plan to reduce by 50 percent over the next decade the number of students who are not proficient in core subject areas.

A U.S. Education Department news release said Tuesday that the Nebraska plan “establishes ambitious but attainable long-term goals in alignment with its strategic vision and direction.”

The federal Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to devise systems that identify schools needing help and outline plans for intervention.

The act replaced the No Child Left Behind law, giving states more flexibility in creating their accountability systems.

Schools deemed “In Need of Comprehensive Support and Improvement” will qualify for federally funded improvement activities under the Every Student Succeeds Act. That includes money for professional development, teacher evaluations and strategies to hire, train and retain teachers.