LANSING — Michigan’s revised, lower high school graduation rates resulted in fewer schools meeting federal No Child Left Behind goals, the state said today.

Local lawmakers say a bill aimed at preventing the Pennsylvania Board of Education from requiring high school students to take a new series of standardized tests to graduate has a good chance of passing the state Legislature.

People who give endless hours of their time were recognized Thursday at the 10th Volunteer Recognition Celebration where Linda Knapik and Cheryl True of Project Graduation received the Kim Hoffman Volunteer of the Year Award.

The Texas Board of Education says it will continue to explore a proposal that gives Texas high school athletes twice as much credit toward graduation for playing sports, although some board members have reservations.

WASHINGTON — Nashville Mayor Karl Dean's efforts to improve the graduation rate in the city's schools received some national exposure Thursday when he was featured at a Capitol Hill conference on education reform.