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ESSA

On December 10, 2015, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), was signed into law. ESSA is a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). ESSA replaces its predecessor, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).).  ESSA includes provisions that will help to ensure success for all students.  It became effective on July 1, 2017.
 
ESSA offers LEAs greater flexibility for using federal funds to effectively implement comprehensive, districtwide research-based initiatives that maximize student academic outcomes, particularly for those students at risk of not meeting challenging state academic assessment standards. 
 
ESSA renews the U.S. Department of Education's emphasis on comprehensive needs assessments and improvement planning. The new regulations increase LEAs’ responsibilities for monitoring student outcomes, coordinated use of federal funds, and for offering high-quality guidance and technical assistance to schools engaged in continuous improvement planning. 
 
The primary function of ESSA is to close the achievement gap between groups of students by requiring greater accountability and offering increased flexibility and choice. ESSA includes Title I-A, Title I-C, Title I-D, Title II, Title III-A, and Title IV.
 
Some highlights of ESSA:
  • Advances equity by upholding critical protections for high-need students 
  • Enhanced expectations for college and career preparation
  • Ensures that statewide assessments provide information to educators, students, families and communities
  • Increases access to high-quality preschool
  • Maintains accountability expectations for low-performing schools
  • Supports evidence-based interventions