State News Roundup

The Arizona education department has postponed its review of revised state academic standards in response to concerns that the agency was moving too quickly.

The state school board was scheduled to vote on the revised "essential skills" on Jan. 22, but officials have pushed back the review by up to four months. That will also delay tests of a revamped statewide assessment program that were to take place this spring.

State schools chief Lisa Graham Keegan suspended the assessment program a year ago because of technical problems and complaints that it did not reflect student learning. The program is intended to measure achievement in the subject areas addressed...