CHICAGO, Feb. 13, 2008 (AP): A group of Latino parents are expressing fears that requiring their children to take the regular state math and reading exams could result in widespread failure and shattered self-esteem.

The Chicago parents are protesting the state's decision to scrap the Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English, or IMAGE, an exam given to students with limited English language skills.

The state took the action after battling with federal officials for two years over whether the exam lived up to No Child Left Behind standards. The U.S. Department of Education ruled in November the IMAGE was not an appropriate way to determine if non-English-speaking students were mastering basic math and reading skills.

State Sen. Iris Martínez (D-Chicago) says she has introduced a resolution urging the Illinois State Board of Education to create a new exam for students with limited English ability.