1. ESEA – How Did We Get Here?  No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) – enacted 2001 Why was it so strict? Role of special ed advocates  Required all students to be proficient by 2014 – significant consequences attached to failure  NCLB allows for Secretary to grant waivers (unlike IDEA)

2. ESEA Reauthorization  Started in earnest in 2011 Harkin introduced ‘bipartisan’ bill in Fall of 2011 Kline came up with 5 bills in the House  Charter school bill only one that had bipartisan support  And then……nothing happened until….

3. Secretary Duncan Started Granting Waivers  In September, 2011, Secretary Duncan invited states to apply for waivers  Status of waiver requests: 47 states, DC, Puerto Rico and BIE have applied for waivers 39 states & DC have been approved States NOT applying: CA, MT, ND and NE – 9 LEAs in CA representing more than 1 million students have jointly applied for waivers

4. What Do ‘Waiver States’ Have to Do?  College and career-ready standards  Adopt the Common Core/New assessments  Identify priority schools  Identify focus schools  Reward high achieving schools  Implement educator effectiveness evaluations

5. Issues with Waivers  Subgroup accountability  Requirements in general, educator effectiveness evaluation HUGE issue  Should LEAs be granted waivers?  Impact on new ESEA?

6. More on Waivers  Duncan authorized waiver of waiver requirements regarding implementation of teacher evaluation plans

7. Which Brings Us To…..  ESEA reauthorization déjà vu all over again

8. Which Brings Us To…..  ESEA reauthorization déjà vu all over again

9. Which Brings Us To…..  ESEA reauthorization déjà vu all over again  Or…Ground Hog Day.. Part 3

10. Current Status of ESEA Reauthorization  Senate markup was June 11-12 Two bills: Chairman Harkin’s version  Would allow state waivers to continue and require achievement, growth goals and accountability plan in states where no waiver Ranking member Alexander’s version  States could design their own accountability system; would require subgroup accountability

11. More on Senate ESEA  Harkin bill does include references to UDL, RTI, PBIS  Teacher evaluations must be based in part on student performance  Overall concerns: 1%/2% issues Vouchers Overall accountability for students with disabilities

12. More on Senate ESEA  Expect to go to Senate floor in September

13. House Version of ESEA  Two bills in the House: Chairman Kline Ranking Member Miller  Committee markup was June 19  Kline bill: States can design their own accountability systems Continues subgroup disaggregation Gets rid of maintenance of effort

14. More on House ESEA  More on Kline bill: Eliminates cap on alternate assessment Merges numerous programs -- what’s wrong with block granting programs?? Could transfer funds among programs Requires use of teacher evaluation system based in part on student outcomes  Miller substitute was rejected  Floor vote expected this week

15. More on House ESEA  Watch for voucher amendments  Amendment to change funding formula

16. Results-Driven Accountability (RDA)  Began in early 2012 – OSEP announced suspension of monitoring visits  Established working group to discuss options  Invited input from stakeholders

17. Components of RDA  State Performance Plan (SPP)/Annual Performance Report (SPR) to focus more on outcomes  Determinations – will broadly reflect state performance -- not just compliance and accurate data  Differentiated monitoring and technical assistance based on weighted identification of states

18. Where Are We Now in the Process?  Proposed revisions to Indicators for the SPP/APR were put out for comment this spring  OSEP will consider comments/make final proposal to OMB  Final proposal will go out for 30-day comment period  New SPP/APR will be used for APR due February 1, 2015

19. New Indicator 17 (Part B) and 11 (Part C)  New: State Systemic Improvement Plan Removes plans from individual indicators Questions remain  How is this plan tied to other state improvement activities?  Data reporting in general – connection to other ED program reporting, especially Consolidated State Performance Plan (CSPP) under Title I of the ESEA

20. Just In Case Your Head Isn’t Spinning Yet….  There’s: The President’s early childhood initiative President’s E-rate initiative Mental health initiatives Workforce Incentive Act (WIA) – includes vocational rehabilitation