WASHINGTON (AP) — Education Secretary Arne Duncan (AR’-nee) is talking with school districts about how to free them from unworkable requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind law.

Duncan on Thursday signaled he is open to a district-by-district approach he long has tried to avoid. He said he still preferred statewide waivers but said his department would figure out how to work with school districts if the eight remaining states — California and Texas among them — don’t apply for exemptions from the requirements by next week’s deadline.