This Week鈥檚 ESSA News: Pointed Feedback on Federal Feedback, as Iowa, Idaho, Georgia, W. Virginia Post Plans
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This update on the Every Student Succeeds Act and the education plans now being refined by state legislatures is produced in partnership with ESSA Essentials, a new series from the Collaborative for Student Success. It鈥檚 an offshoot of their newsletter, which you can ! (See our recent ESSA updates from previous weeks right here, as well as our .)
When the U.S. Department of Education provided its first round of feedback to Delaware, Nevada, and New Mexico, many were surprised by the level of detail it provided 鈥� or that it provided any detail at all. But a week later, it looks like the department鈥檚 comments may have created more confusion for those states and others still preparing their plans.
Speaking of feedback, the Department of Education isn鈥檛 the only one providing feedback to states. See who else has been responding, which states have released draft plans, a new exciting project that came out this week, and a heads-up about another one that鈥檚 coming down the pike. Here are six new developments in ESSA world:
1. The Council of Chief State School Officers responds to Department of Education feedback
The CCSSO the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 feedback on ESSA plans submitted by Delaware, Nevada, and New Mexico. CCSSO Executive Director Chris Minnich said that the department鈥檚 feedback 鈥渞aises some concerns for state education leaders.鈥� He noted, 鈥淪tates have built systems to improve educational opportunities for kids and the Department鈥檚 feedback is too prescriptive in certain areas, and goes beyond the intent of the law.鈥�
CCSSO also added that state chiefs are concerned about the pushback on goals, excluding science tests as an option for academic factors, and telling states that they can鈥檛 measure Advanced Placement credit when it comes to accountability.
As Education Week鈥檚 Alyson Klein , states aren鈥檛 the only ones who are confused by the feedback. With states like Delaware getting dinged for using Advanced Placement courses in their accountability systems while Nevada is not, Dale Chu of America Succeeds noted, 鈥淚n terms of the difference … why does one state get a slap on the hand and the other doesn鈥檛? Your guess is as good as mine.鈥�
2. Georgia鈥檚 draft plan looks beyond test scores
The from the Georgia Department of Education is, 鈥淕eorgia鈥檚 draft ESSA plan supports a common framework of improvement that places the whole child at the center, focusing and organizing the work of the Department and engaging new partners in the school improvement process. It moves Georgia鈥檚 accountability system beyond a focus on test scores alone, allowing a more holistic view of district and school performance.鈥� And Maureen Downey at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution boils it down even more for her readers. She notes, 鈥淚t appears the state is attempting to give districts more on-the-ground freedom and attach more weight to student performance beyond math and reading.鈥�
3. Idaho鈥檚 draft plan revises indicators for school quality and student success, creates clearer definition for ineffective teachers
The Idaho Department of Public Education a new draft of the state鈥檚 ESSA plan that, according to Idaho Ed News, revises school quality and student success indicators; recognizes the top 10 percent of high-performing schools; defines what constitutes an ineffective teacher; completes the process for identifying low-performing schools; and changes data reporting requirements.
But this new draft 鈥� the state鈥檚 sixth 鈥� caused the Idaho Education Association and Idaho School Boards Association to a letter to Gov. Butch Otter and State Board of Education members expressing their frustration in continuing to be 鈥渆xcluded from drafting Idaho鈥檚 state聽ESSA plan.鈥� And it worked 鈥� the State Board of Education is with the groups this week.
4. The second draft of Iowa鈥檚 plan includes new measure of post-secondary readiness
The Iowa Department of Education the second of three drafts of its ESSA plan for public review. While this draft is organized differently to reflect a new Department of Education template, other changes include 鈥渁 new post-secondary readiness measure and long-term goals based on Iowa鈥檚 current statewide assessments, as required by the U.S. Department of Education.鈥�
5. West Virginia鈥檚 plan ditches A鈥揊 grading system, considers new accountability system
After Gov. Jim Justice stated in his February State of the State address that the state鈥檚 A鈥揊 school grading system 鈥渕ust go,鈥� the state鈥檚 Board of Education released a new plan that a new accountability system with no summative rating. The plan includes various indicators, but under the proposal, schools would only be given ratings for individual measures.
6. Public comments: California, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Dakota seeking reactions
, , and are all looking for comments for communities and stakeholders in their states.
7. Interactive map: How is your state doing?
In case you missed it, last week, 麻豆精品 and the Collaborative unveiled a where you can follow where states are in the ESSA process and gather the most recent news about their progress. Explore the map right here.
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