Washington, D.C. ? The Bush administration is letting more children with disabilities take simplified tests under the No Child Left Behind act.

The change, outlined in final regulations Wednesday, would triple the number of children who can take tests that are easier than those given to most students under the 2002 law.

Roughly 10 percent of special education students – those with the most serious cognitive disabilities – currently can take simplified, alternative tests and have the results count toward a school’s annual progress goals.

Under the new rules, an additional 20 percent of children with disabilities could take alternative tests and have those count toward a school’s progress goals.

The new tests are for children who are not severely disabled but who have been unable to work on grade level at the same pace as their peers because of disabilities, such as some forms of dyslexia.