Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss praised a decision by the Massachusetts Board of Secondary Education this week to seek a waiver from the requirements of No Child Left Behind, the federal law that requires testing in public schools and sets a goal of 100 per cent student proficiency in English and mathematics by 2014.

“That was not a realistic benchmark to begin with and if we get a waiver for that we won’t have to get crazy over a standard,” Mr. Weiss said yesterday.

The application comes after state education officials reported 82 per cent of Massachusetts public schools failed to make what is termed adequate yearly progress (AYP) this year, a measurement of student improvement from year to year. On the Island, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School was the only school to make AYP in both math and English this year; all other schools failed to make AYP in either one category or both.

AYP is measured on a state-by-state basis. Massachusetts students are required to take the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test every spring in grades three through 10.

President Obama has given states the choice of opting out of the 100 per cent proficiency provision. The waiver has the backing of Gov. Deval Patrick and now goes to the federal department of education for approval.

So far 40 states have sought waivers or have said they intend to apply. Waivers are due Nov. 14.

Mr. Weiss said the waiver will help commonwealth schools target individual issues rather than strive to reach an unachievable target.

“It will take some of the difficulty away when everyone doesn’t make AYP, which is going to happen and already started to happen this year,” the superintendent said. “All of our schools have issues.”

Meanwhile, he said the schools will examine their MCAS scores and tailor specific improvement plans.

“We’re going to continue to do things we’re doing now, looking at data, looking at curriculum, and making sure we’re on right track,” Mr. Weiss said.