Every Student Succeeds Act in New Jersey ESSA Every Student Succeeds Act in New Jersey September 16, 2016 Diana Pasculli NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) ESSA, passed December of 2015, replaced No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and is the most recent version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) This federal law ensures equitable access to resources and opportunities through three key measures: Funding Measuring School Performance and Providing Support Reporting on School Performance See our overview video: https://youtu.be/trmAF1B8Za4 Consider just embedding Prezi here Funding Provides over $24.5 billion to states each year; majority of funds funnel directly to school districts Measuring School Performance and Providing Support Requires the state to hold schools accountable for performance on several indicators and for the state to require improvement plans in schools struggling to meet all or some students’ needs Reporting on School Performance New Jersey must publish report cards (which we call performance reports) that include a academic, school climate and safety, equity, and other measures so the public is aware of how schools are performing Background

Expected Dates for ESSA Activities Federal State District School Year 2016-17 Federal regulations and guidance continuously released ESEA Waiver expires (August) NJ develops and submit state plan in collaboration with stakeholders Continue to provide targeted support Priority/Focus schools Districts spend under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) rules Priority/Focus school status remains the same as in 2015-16 Fall 2016 Final federal regulations posted (expected) Collaborate with stakeholders to develop a state plan Ensure state processes, guidance, and data collections reflect changes from ESSA Districts receive initial spending guidance from NJDOE (Nov) Districts develop plans in collaboration with stakeholders Spring 2017 US Department of Education reviews and approves state plans submitted in March or July Plan to submit state plan to US Department of Education by March 6* following public comment period Districts continue to receive updated spending guidance from NJDOE Districts receive allocations from NJDOE and apply for grants School Year 2017-18 New state plan goes into effect Districts spend under ESSA rules/formulas Shared publicly * Subject to change pending final federal regulations Background

Engagement Commitment 2016 Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May 2017 Listening and Learning/Identify Policy Questions Feedback on Specific Proposals/Policies Inform and Explain Implementation Details NJDOE will provide opportunities for interested groups and individuals to: Discuss how NJ state and district may best implement specific areas of existing and new federal law. Build on ongoing community engagement about standards, assessments , educator policies and strategic plan Provide targeted feedback, through focus groups and public comment, on NJDOE proposals for initial implementation (2017-18) and beyond Receive updated and accurate information about implementing ESSA and share best district practices for implementation plans Shared publicly Background

Teachers and School Leaders 2017-2018 NJ State Plan to Implement ESSA Your Input Matters ESSA offers an opportunity to expand how New Jersey defines a high quality education and to emphasize and reward additional qualities that make for a successful school Community Groups Teachers and School Leaders Parents and Students 2017-2018 NJ State Plan to Implement ESSA Professional Organizations State Plan Includes: How the state measures and reports on school performance (what factors into a successful school?); How the state helps struggling schools to better meet the needs of students What the state prioritizes with federal funds; and Much more Creating our State plan requires input from people who know the needs of a district and community best. In order to serve New Jersey’s students, the Department is eager to receive parent and student input and see that your values are reflected in the State Plan. The State Plan will inform the State’s educational priorities, how the State evaluates schools, and how funds are distributed to districts. Background

Topics Covered in our State Plan ESSA Topics Covered in our State Plan Accountability Assessment Supporting Struggling Schools Supporting a Well-Rounded Education (Title IV-A) Supporting Effective Instruction (Title II-A) The Department is seeking input on all the topics above. For today and due to time restraints, we plan to focus on the areas of accountability and supporting effective instruction.

Accountability Systems in New Jersey Public Reporting School Performance Reports (Required by state law and practices, and ESEA/ESSA) School-Level Performance Measures to Identify Focus and Priority Schools (Required by ESEA/ESSA) District-Level Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) (Required by state law) Clearly needs work…

ESSA Public Reporting Requirements ESSA requires states to annually publish report cards on state-, school district-, and school-performance. Each school report card must include at least the following measures: Academic Measures Quality, Climate, Safety Measures Academic proficiency and growth on statewide tests, including how each school performed compared to other schools in the district and state Graduation rates Enrollment in pre-school, advanced coursework and post-secondary programs Results on NAEP, if applicable (federal exam for select group of 4th and 8th graders nationwide) Rates of: In-school and out-of-school suspensions Expulsions School-related arrests Law enforcement referrals Chronic absenteeism Violence incidences (bullying and harassment included) Equity Measures English Language Proficiency Measures Per-pupil expenditures of funds by school Disaggregated by high-poverty compared to low-poverty schools, the number and percentage of: Inexperienced teachers, principals, and other school leaders Teachers with an emergency or provisional certificate Teachers who are not teaching in the subject or field for which they are certified The number and percentage of English learners attaining English language proficiency each year The progress of English learners toward achieving the state's goals for achieving English proficiency Performance Reports

Performance Reports Timeline 2011-12 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 First Reports Released Release Winter 2017; Meet NCLB Waiver Requirements Start implementing ESSA requirements Full implementation of ESSA requirements Enrollment/demographics Academic Achievement in ELA, Math, and Science by subgroup College and career readiness, including SAT, ACT, AP, IB data, and rates of chronic absenteeism Selected course taking data (note that the group tomorrow will be unhappy with the way that we reported structured learning experiences, which we will be able to improve) Graduation and post-secondary enrollment data Academic progress, in the form of SGP

ESSA School-Level Accountability Requirements Accountability Indicators ESEA: 1111(c)(4)(B), Proposed: 34 CFR 200.14 # Elementary and Middle Schools High Schools 1 Academic Achievement (proficiency) Academic Achievement: Must include proficiency May, at state discretion, include growth 2 Academic Progress (growth or another measure) Graduation rate: Must include 4-yr adjusted rate May include extended yr adjusted rate 3 Progress Toward English Language Proficiency: Must use progress (growth) May use measure of total or percentage of students reaching English proficiency 4 At least one School Quality or Student Success Indicator, which must be: Valid, reliable, and comparable across all LEAs; Calculated in the same way for all schools (except that measures may vary by each grade span) Able to be disaggregated for each subgroup Note: Participation rate on the statewide test must be factored into the state’s accountability system (federal law requires 95% of all students and each subgroup of student to participate in statewide tests) Goal Setting: States must set, at minimum, long-term academic achievement, graduation rate, and English proficiency goals for students and establish interim checks on progress toward those goals. Goals must include: Goals for faster rates of growth for low-performing subgroups for academic proficiency and graduation rates (to close achievement and opportunity gaps); and Goals for English learners to: Make steady progress towards learning English; and Attain English proficiency in a state-determined number of years. Accountability Section 1111(c)

Some Ideas Around School Quality and Student Success Indicator(s) Blue Text = data NJDOE currently has access to Note: data currently collected may not be valid or reliable and may not be able to disaggregate by subgroup Examples Chronic absenteeism Suspension rates Expulsion rates Facilities quality Access to qualified teachers (including para-educators) Access to specialized support personnel (counselors, nurses, etc) Percentage of middle school students enrolled in algebra or geometry Access to resources Internet access Technology quality and access Teacher to student ratio/class size Social-emotional learning Kindergarten readiness College enrollment following HS graduation Career readiness indicators Family and community engagement Access to advanced coursework (including CTE pathways) Limitations: Law, which requires this indicator(s) to be valid, reliable, and comparable across all school districts Proposed rules, which would require this indicator(s) to include a measure: That can be disaggregated by subgroup; and That research indicates performance on the measure(s) is correlated with positive student outcomes. Data access, which limits the valid and reliable measures the state may use (if there is no consistent reliable data collection, there is no way for the Department to accurately calculate the indicator) Sources: Darling-Hammond, Linda et. Al. (2016, Jan 28) Pathways to New Accountability through the Every Student Succeeds Act. Learning Policy Institute and Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. https://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Backgrounder-Opportunity%20Dashboard%20Indicator.pdf https://www.acteonline.org/uploadedFiles/Policy_and_Advocacy/Key_Issues/ESSA_Fact_Sheet_Career%20Readiness%20Accountability.pd Accountability

Table Discussions

Facts Title II, Part A – Supporting Effective Instruction Purpose Increase student achievement by: Improving the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders; Increasing the number of teachers, principals, and other school leaders who are effective in improving student academic achievement; and Providing low-income and minority students greater access to effective teachers, principals, and other school leaders How much money does NJ receive? $50 million per year 95% must go directly to school districts (see distribution below) Up to 1% may be used for State administration Up to 4% may be used for State activities Who is eligible to receive funds? All New Jersey School Districts How are funds distributed? 80% of state’s allocation is distributed based on each school district’s number of students living in poverty 20% of the state’s allocation is distributed based on each school district’s number of total students Title II-A

Changes To Uses of Title II-Part A Funds ESSA expands how states may use funds to support effective instruction.  Examples of newly allowed uses include: Improving equitable access to effective teachers Expanding alternate route certification options for teachers in high demand (ex: STEM, English Learner, special education, etc.) Training all school staff to prevent and recognize child abuse Developing high quality, evidence-based STEM, computer science, and blended learning professional development Optional: may set aside funds specifically for programs and activities to support principals and other school leaders ESSA establishes stricter guidelines for school districts’ use of funds, including: Use of funds for class-size reduction: a school district is required to provide evidence to suggest reducing class sizes by a specific amount improves student achievement Definition of “professional development” that may be paid for federal funds to be (8101(42)): such professional development must be: Integral to the school and district’s professional development plan Sustained, intensive, collaborative, and job-embedded (i.e. not stand-alone, 1-day workshops) Voice-over here is that we will review a list of all allowable state uses of funds – perhaps insert an attachment Diana’s comment: (c) Waivers for exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances. The Secretary may waive the requirement of paragraph (a) of this section for a State, for one fiscal year at a time, if the Secretary determines that-- (1) Granting a waiver would be equitable due to exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances such as a natural disaster or a precipitous and unforeseen decline in the financial resources of the State; or (2) The State meets the standard in § 300.164 for a waiver of the requirement to supplement, and not to supplant, funds received under Part B of the Act. Title II-A

Table Discussions

Continuing the Conversation ESSA Continuing the Conversation For updated notifications, resources and additional opportunities for engagement, see NJ Department of Education ESSA Website http://www.state.nj.us/education/ESSA/ For questions, concerns, recommendations, requests for resources or opportunities to engage, contact NJ ESSA Team: essa@doe.state.nj.us The Department must develop a comprehensive plan to implement ESSA and is seeking feedback from stakeholders on the following key questions: How do you identify a successful school? How do you identify a school that is off-track? What school characteristics are most important? What measures and data should be reported in our school report cards? How should schools be held accountable for providing resources to and supporting all students? How should we hold schools accountable when our students are not meeting our academic standards? How can the Department streamline federal procedures in manner that best supports school and district efforts toward increasing student success?

Appendix

School Quality and Student Success Indicator(s) Key Questions: For next two years: in the first year or two of the new accountability system, indicators are limited to those for which data is already collected. With this in mind, which school quality and student success indicator(s) should be included in the accountability system? In 3-5 years: when collection of additional data can be established, which other indicators should be included in the accountability system? Limitations: Law, which requires this indicator(s) to be valid, reliable, and comparable across all school districts Proposed rules, which would require this indicator(s) to include a measure: That can be disaggregated by subgroup; and That research indicates performance on the measure(s) is correlated with positive student outcomes. Data access, which limits the valid and reliable measures the state may use (if there is no consistent reliable data collection, there is no way for the Department to accurately calculate the indicator) Note on this slide: - The Department recognizes any consideration of repurposing this money must include what the money will be used for, if it is repurposed Accountability Section 1111(c)(4)(b)

Facts Title I, Part A, Section 1111(b)(2), Academic Assessments NCLB 1111(b)(3) ESSA 1111(b)(2) Who must take statewide assessments? All students in required grades State must ensure at least 95% of all students and each subgroup in each school take the assessment In which grades must students take statewide assessments? Math and English Language Arts (ELA): Each of grades 3-8; and Once in grades 10-12 Once in grades 9-12 Science: Once in grades 3-5; Once in grades 6-9; and Assessment

Topics for Discussion ESSA provides a few opportunities regarding assessment: Assessment system audit Innovative assessment demonstration authority Nationally-recognized high school assessments Target limit on testing time Voice Over: We will give you an overview of the first two and answer as many questions as we can. These opportunities have not yet become available. We are really looking to get your input and perspective on the last two items and will ask you to weigh in on some key questions regarding those topics. Assessment

Impacts to Districts for 2016-17 Most elements remain the same as in 2015-16, including funding formulas/usages, with a few notable exceptions: No Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) or Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) required. Freeze on Focus/Priority schools (no exits). Note: USED required decision to freeze or create new lists by March 1, 2016; NJ did not have necessary data for evaluating list status by this time and thus had to freeze. The Department will evaluate status of Focus/Priority schools as data becomes available to ensure appropriate recognition and support during ESSA transition time. No federal Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) requirement. However, teachers must still be certified. See certification HQT guidance for details