The standardized testing, which measures what students have learned in the classroom, begins Monday statewide. But Paine says Mingo County students shouldn't have to take it because of recent flooding.

"There is no way. There is no way possible you can expect those kids to perform well on a high stakes test," Paine said.

Both Gilbert Elementary and Gilbert High School sustained damages totaling more than a million dollars when Gilbert Creek came out of its banks last Saturday.

"Goodness," Paine said. "In Gilbert, you have 85 to 90 percent of everything that has been destroyed down there and you have kids that are in homes that are fighting for their lives and they are devastated with what happened."

State Department of Education Director of Communications Liza Cordeiro says Paine's letter asks for a waiver for the entire county and doesn't name specific schools. Mingo County hasn't had school since the flood hit.  

Superintendent Paine says Secretary Duncan is a reasonable person and he believes he will grant the waiver.