TOPEKA, Kansas (AP) — Kansas won’t be able to avoid the toughest years of the federal No Child Left Behind law’s implementation.

The U.S. Department of Education denied the state’s request for a waiver Friday.

The law says 100 percent of students are supposed to fare well on state tests by 2014. Some states have been phasing in higher targets gradually, with districts facing the highest benchmarks in the next few years.

Kansas wanted to hold the annual targets for state tests in reading and math at 2009-2010 levels until it can implement new national education standards.

Tests based on those new standards aren’t expected to start until the 2014-2015 school year in Kansas.

State Board of Education Chairman David Dennis says he’s disappointed by rejection of the waiver.