Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 10 Minute Meeting Insert Local Association Name Here

ESSA: Why Should I Care? The ESSA law is hundreds of pages long. As professionals we do not need to fully understand all aspects of the law to have our professional voice heard. We know what is good for our students through our initial education training, ongoing professional development, and years of experience. It is worth to note that under ESSA Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is gone. Proficiency rates are no longer federally mandated at 100%; it is up to the state to define proficiency goals. Previously this caused massive identification of schools in need. Wisconsin’s NCLB waiver expired on August 1, 2016. Waivers required school improvement models and teacher evaluation systems based on state tests. Wisconsin Act 166 still requires SLOs as part of a teacher’s evaluation.

What is buried with ESSA? No Child Left Behind, the misguided federal law that greatly increased standardized testing in our schools, is no longer with us. Neither are federal punitive labels for schools. NCLB actually expired in 2007 and was kept alive through a system of waivers. Now it’s gone. Current Testing Requirements States are sill mandated to test annually in math and reading grades 3-8 and once in high school with grade span testing for science (once each in grades 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12). States have flexibility in the type of assessments used and can set target limits of aggregate testing time.

Welcome to School, ESSA! Under ESSA we have a promise in the law – a rightful return – of local school decision making processes. Additionally, educators and para educator voice is mandated in creating new student accountability measures and local school improvement plans. ESSA is the opportunity for more educator and para educator participation over teaching and learning decisions.

Coming Attractions: Multiple measures of student growth More control by educators A better definition of student success As you can see from this list of ESSA features, educators and students will be free of some of the unnecessary burdens we’ve carried for too long under NCLB. Additional Notes if Time Allows: What’s ahead of us? Increased local and state control over education policies: ESSA requires educator and para educator voice in state and local planning. Accountability measures to be included on the state report card that includes at least one indicator of a schools’ success noted as an opportunity indicator (examples include access to AP courses, access to library media specialists, school climate survey data, etc.). State accountability plans are not based solely on test scores. Districts and schools must partner with stakeholders. There is a new definition of a well-rounded education. A well-rounded education is now defined as “English, reading or language arts, writing, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography, computer science, music, career and technical education, health, physical education and any other subject as determined by the state or local educational agency with the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and educational experience.”

Educator Voice is Mandated Much-needed change is coming. But it won’t be done right without significant input from educators and para educators. If ESSA changes are to be made well, we need to have some say in plans for areas including teacher evaluation, school discipline and safety, testing, literacy education, and school funding. After ESSA was signed into law, the law went through a rule-making process where regulations were drafted for the law’s implementation. While not all regulations have yet to be released, the NEA and WEAC have provided significant push back on the initial release of regs to assure ESSA includes a positive teaching and learning environment at all levels.

What Can I Do in My Town? We have an unprecedented opportunity to shape policy. This is new to everyone and is the perfect meet and confer opportunity. Local education associations can, and ought to, play a critical role in making ESSA work for the students we serve. Specific strategies include: Assure there is union voice on every local school district in Wisconsin. Determine educational priorities for your local school and district. Form a strategy to share recommendations with your local school board. Introduce a version of the NEA School Board Resolution to your local board of education.

ESSA Resources WEAC Resources: weac.org/essa Jeff Baas, IPD Director 800-362-8034 ext 279 baasj@weac.org NEA Resources: getessaright.org nea.org/essabegins U.S. Ed Resources ed.gov/essa