ESSA Implementation
When ESSA replaced the rigid No
Child Left Behind Act, states gained
new flexibility to determine how they
will hold schools accountable for the
academic performance of their stu-
dents. But with that added flexibility,
ESSA also conferred on states a height-
ened level of responsibility to ensure
that the policies and measures put in
place support equitable outcomes for
all students. Equity and excellence are
the bedrock of ESSA. But unlike its
predecessor, ESSA does not dictate how
states will get there.
For state and district leaders,
planning this transition from federal
the same timeline as their more afflu-
mandates to extensive local autonomy
ent white peers. Given that different
presents a momentous opportunity to
student subgroups currently demon-
transform their school systems. As they
strate very different levels of proficien-
work through the planning require-
cy, these goals necessarily imply that
ments outlined in ESSA, state and local
states must close achievement gaps
leaders can reaffirm what they want stu- aggressively and provide extra support
dents to gain from the learning process
to schools that are struggling to do so.
and institute changes to ensure that all
States are not looking at academic
students achieve the same high expecta- performance in a vacuum, though. If
tions. And all this can be done reflecting students are not in school, they cannot
the unique education landscape in each
learn. Recognizing this, several state
state.
plans include provisions to monitor
This spring, the first sixteen states
schools’ levels of chronic absentee-
and the District of Co-
ism. Research shows
lumbia submitted plans
that students who
States That Have
to the U.S. Department
miss fifteen or more
Submitted ESSA Plans
of Education (ED) out-
days of school are less
lining how they intend
likely to reach critical
Arizona
to identify and support
learning milestones
Colorado
low-performing schools,
and more likely to
Connecticut
specifically those that
drop out of school.
Delaware
fall short of state-set
Furthermore, the
District of Columbia
goals for student ac-
empty classroom seats
Illinois
ademic achievement,
left behind by absent
Louisiana
high school graduation
students most often
Maine
rates, and students’ En-
belong to students of
Massachusetts
glish language proficien-
color and those from
Michigan
cy, among other indi-
low-income families.
Nevada
cators of performance.
By including chronic
New Jersey
Many of these plans
absenteeism as an
New Mexico
offer areas of strength
indicator of school
North Dakota
and demonstrate a
quality in their ESSA
Oregon
clear commitment to
implementation plans,
Tennessee
supporting the needs
states acknowledge
Vermont
of traditionally under-
the importance of get-
served students. Sadly,
ting the nation’s most
though, other state plans present cause vulnerable students to class on time.
for concern.
A Need for Student Support
Focusing on Academic
Although the state ESSA implemen-
Achievement
tation plans rightly hold all students to
The good news is that most states
have emphasized academic perfor-
mance and college and career read-
iness in their ESSA implementation
plans. These plans set the same long-
term academic achievement goals for
students from all historically under-
served groups. That means students of
color and students from low-income
families must achieve the same pro-
ficiency rates on the state English
language arts and math assessments on
the same high academic achievement
goals, the plans do not always ensure
that schools will receive the levels of
support they need to help struggling
students reach these elevated expec-
tations. ESSA requires states annually
to identify schools with a consistently
underperforming subgroup of students.
Those schools, in turn, must receive
support targeted to struggling students.
But the law leaves the definition of
“consistently underperforming” to the
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