For what may be the first time in his presidency, President Obama has actually reduced the power of the executive branch.

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed by Obama on Thursday, the Secretary of Education cannot incentivize or punish states for adopting specific academic standards. The provision was sparked by complaints over the Department of Education’s waivers from federal penalties in No Child Left Behind. Using the waivers as leverage, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has dictated what state academic standards are and how they are measured.