This removes the incentive to designate certain groups of students as slow learners while acknowledging that some individual students do take more time, said Jamie Fasteau, policy director for [the Alliance for Excellent Education]. It is also, she said, a possible solution to the graduation formula issue and is not just a criticism of the department's proposal. "We're appreciative of her taking this step forward," she said, referring to department chief Margaret Spellings. "The country's been ignoring its graduation rates."