1. The Every Student Succeeds Act
Corey Williams
NEA Government Relations

2. Where have we been? NCLB
NCLB circa 2002 increased the federal test requirements to 17
Required the one-size-fits-all AYP
Caused massive over-identification of schools across the country
US Dept of Ed created a patchwork of waiver relief
Required the school improvement models and teacher evaluation systems based on state tests.

3. NEA’s Core Goals for ESEA Reauthorization
Promote equity through a new accountability system with an opportunity dashboard as its centerpiece
Decouple high-stakes testing and accountability; promote less testing to give students more time to learn
Ensure qualified educators, empowering them to LEAD!

4. The Long and Winding Road
2002: No Child Left Behind signed into law
2007: No Child Left Behind expires
2009: Stimulus passes which includes Race to the Top, School Improvement Grants, and Grants to Improve Assessments
: NCLB Waiver World
4 Congressional reauthorizations attempts!
2007
2011
2013
2015
The fourth time was the charm!

5. Big Victory, So What’s Next?
House passes ESSA to 64!!!
Senate passes ESSA – 85 to 12!!!!
Now it is on to the states and locals….

6. ESSA Implementation = Opportunity
What are the biggest opportunities ESSA presents?
State developed, meaningful, accountability systems
To drive teaching and learning decisions
Increase parent and educator involvement
What is the headline you want to read if you are successful with implementation?

7. Every Student Succeeds Act (S. 1177)
What’s gone?
AYP is gone! No more 100-ways-to-fail!
Federal punitive labels for schools are gone!
Rigid, non-research based interventions are gone!
No more Race to the Top federally required teacher evaluations based on standardized test scores
Accountability systems based solely on standardized tests are gone!

8. Every Student Succeeds Act
What concepts remain in federal law?
High Standards: Every state must have college and career ready standards
Statewide Assessments: Maintains testing in grades 3 – 8, once in HS for math and ELA, gradespan for science…. HOWEVER
Requires state and local audits to eliminate duplicative or unnecessary tests.
New option for HS assessments
New flexibility to create assessment systems that don’t rely on statewide standardized tests
Disaggregation: States still required to look at data from subgroups, so groups of students don’t fall through cracks!
Interventions: Required for low-performing schools, but no rigid federally prescribed list; must be evidence-based

9. What’s different about accountability?
Accountability systems at state level cannot be based solely on standardized tests!
Systems must include:
Math, reading assessments
Graduation rates
Another statewide indicator for middle and elementary schools
English Language Proficiency
At least one indicator of student success or school support
95% participation rate factored in separately

10. Strengthening Educator Involvement
Maintained paraprofessional qualifications from NCLB
Committee of Practitioners
Lots of engagement and specific mention of teachers, paraeducators and SISPs in decision making
Huge focus on teaching continuum: career ladders, mentoring, professional development

11. What about School Improvement? Then and Now
NCLB
ESSA
4% of Title I money could be set aside by states for school improvement
School Improvement Grants (SIG) went directly from ED to states to schools with no role for districts
7% of Title I money MUST be set aside by states for school improvement
$500 million that paid for SIG has rolled over into Title I, and districts will be involved in improvement planning and monitoring (giving states the same amount of money as before)

12. School Improvement - Now
States will have to create a system to identify two types of schools:
Subgroup schools – identify schools that have consistently underperforming subgroups
Differentiation based on all indicators
Districts create the school improvement plan – must make progress in district-defined # of years
Lowest performing schools – identify bottom 5% of Title I schools, add high schools with lower than 67% grad rates and lowest subgroup schools
Must do a resource equity plan, district develops improvement plan
Improve within 4 years or state needs to do more

13. Other notable improvements:
NEW, positive language about Restorative Justice; ending the school to prison pipeline
Continued, but greater clarity around Opt Out options for students
Stronger mental health support

14. Additional notable improvements:
Improvements to Charter Schools
Audits, transparency, community engagement
CMO priority changed to diversity
Increase in authorization
Improvement to Magnet Program
Allowance for transportation
Matched percentage increase of charter program
Well Rounded Students program
Safe and healthy: at least 20%
Well rounded: at least 20%
Technology hardware cap: no more than 15%

15. Secretarial Prohibitions
Prohibitions on USED secretarial authority throughout the bill
Focused on prohibiting the specific mandates from the Secretary
Restrictions include:
Standards and Assessments
Elements or percentages of the accountability system
Parameters of the system
Require additional data collection
Exit requirements
Teacher evaluation
Teacher effectiveness

16. What happens to NCLB Waivers?
Built in transition to the new law
Identifying subgroup schools begins 2016 – 2017
Full new accountability plans take effect 2017 – 2018
Technically waivers become null and void on the day the law is signed, but USED already released guidance on transition
HQT elimination date is unclear but likely still around for next school year.

17. ESSA Implementation = Opportunity
After nearly 14 years of asking for less federal intrusion into the teaching and learning process, it is finally here!
Opportunity for educators and state legislators to drive teaching and learning decisions
Opportunity to strengthen partnerships with parents, communities, to advocate for what students really need
Expect that some of the federal debate will reappear at the state level

18. Hand off coming to states and locals…
Huge Opportunities to influence multiple decisions, such as:
Components of state accountability plans (How much should tests count? What school or student supports should be included?)
Opportunity for local assessment pilot
What tests should be eliminated?
Participation on committee of practitioners
How should needs assessments of schools be done?
How should interventions be designed and by whom?
and the list goes on……

19. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity!
As educators, let’s join with parents and communities to create the schools our students deserve…
More opportunities for a well-rounded education
Less time testing
More supports for students and schools who need help
Educators and communities driving decisions
Focus on the collaborative process

20. The Every Student Succeeds Act
OPPORTUNITY AWAITS!
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