(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today released the following statements upon learning Iowa was denied a No Child Left Behind waiver. Read the official letter from the United States Department of Education here.

Gov. Branstad:

"Responsibility for the denial of this request lies squarely at the feet of the Iowa Legislature, which did too little to improve our schools despite repeated warnings. The education reform plan Lt. Governor Reynolds and I proposed would have ensured a waiver from the onerous federal No Child Left Behind law. Lawmakers, instead, chose to delay updating the educator evaluation system by requiring a task force study the issue and make recommendations for consideration by the 2013 Legislature. The U.S. Department of Education, however, left the door open to approving Iowa's request for flexibility if lawmakers come back to the table and pass meaningful reform that gives the Iowa Department of Education the authority it needs to update evaluations now.

"Iowa has slipped to the middle of the pack in education in part because we did not adopt the same rigorous policies as other states receiving the waiver. This reflects poorly on Iowa, and our students deserve better."

Lt. Gov. Reynolds:

"The governor and I have traveled all 99 counties, and dozens of those visits centered on school transformation. Iowans understand that our children and grandchildren must be prepared with a globally competition education. Governor Branstad and I presented an education blueprint that would have done just that, while also passing the waiver test.

"Our door remains open, and if state lawmakers want to come together to give the Iowa Department of Education the authority it needs to move ahead with updating educator evaluation now - with a focus on continual improvement and accountability - we are ready.  We cannot allow our children to be stuck in 20^th century schools when it is critical that we do more to assure they are prepared for the 21^st century."

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Every year, thousands of people visit the Mississippi riverfront from all around the region for Riverfront Pops. With just a couple months to go until the big event, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra is excited to announce the guest artist they have invited to perform at this year's event. Also discussed will be several new partnerships surrounding this year's concert.

The QCSO will be announcing all of this on Monday, June 25, at 10:30 a.m. in LeClaire Park, Davenport. Refreshments will be provided beginning at 10:00 a.m. The press and the public are invited to this event. B-Roll and print quality images of past Riverfront Pops concerts and this September's guest artists will be provided to all members of the media at the event.

PRESS CONFERENCE DETAILS:
June 25, 2012
LeClaire Park Bandshell
400 W Biederbeck Drive
Davenport, IA

10:00 a.m. - Refreshements
10:30 a.m. - Press Conference
- Jeff vom Saal, Executive Director, Quad City Symphony Orchestra
- John Anderson, President and CEO, Quad City Bank and Trust
- Joe Taylor, President and CEO, Quad City Convention and Visitors Bureau, and member of the Experience Quad Cities Advisory Board
- Kai Swanson, Executive Assistant to the President, Augustana College
- and a performance by Quad Cities Social Dancing.

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2012- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement on the U.S. Senate's approval of the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act: