On December 14, 2005, U.S. Education Secretary Spellings announced plans to triple the number of disabled students that schools can partially exempt from No Child Left Behind tests, exempting 1 million more students with special needs. The Department currently lets states test one percent of students -- those with the most significant cognitive disabilities -- at their instruction level (not grade level) and count their "proficient" scores in Adequate Yearly Progress determinations. The new regulations will explain how states can further modify their academic standards.