Every Student Succeeds Act

Definition

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a United States law enacted in December 2015 that governs the country's K-12 public education policy. It replaces the No Child Left Behind Act, aiming to provide all students with a fair, equitable, and high-quality education while also emphasizing state and local control over educational standards and accountability systems.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. ESSA allows states to set their own academic standards and determine how they measure student progress, rather than being strictly bound by federal mandates.
2. The law emphasizes the importance of local control, giving districts more authority to design their own accountability systems.
3. Under ESSA, states must include measures of school quality or student success beyond test scores, such as graduation rates and student engagement.
4. ESSA maintains protections for disadvantaged students, ensuring that they receive necessary resources and support to succeed academically.
5. The act encourages the use of evidence-based interventions in schools identified as needing improvement, promoting strategies that have been proven effective.

Review Questions

• How does the Every Student Succeeds Act differ from its predecessor, No Child Left Behind, in terms of state control over education?
  • The Every Student Succeeds Act represents a significant shift from No Child Left Behind by granting states greater control over their education systems. While No Child Left Behind imposed strict federal mandates on testing and accountability, ESSA allows states to develop their own academic standards and decide how to measure student progress. This change empowers local education authorities to tailor their approaches to meet the unique needs of their students and communities.
• Discuss the implications of ESSA’s emphasis on local control for educational equity in underserved communities.
  • The emphasis on local control under ESSA can have both positive and negative implications for educational equity in underserved communities. On one hand, it allows local districts to tailor their strategies to address specific challenges faced by low-income or marginalized students. On the other hand, it risks creating disparities in educational quality if local districts lack the resources or expertise to implement effective programs. Therefore, careful monitoring and support are essential to ensure that all students benefit from the flexibility afforded by ESSA.
• Evaluate how the Every Student Succeeds Act addresses issues of accountability and school performance while promoting local autonomy.
  • ESSA strikes a balance between accountability and local autonomy by requiring states to develop their own accountability systems while ensuring that they hold schools accountable for student outcomes. This law mandates that states include multiple measures of success, such as graduation rates and student engagement, alongside standardized test scores. By allowing states to create tailored systems that reflect their unique educational contexts, ESSA promotes innovation while still maintaining a commitment to equity and high standards across all schools.

Related terms

No Child Left Behind:

A previous federal education law enacted in 2001 aimed at improving student achievement through standardized testing and accountability measures.

Title I Funding: Federal funding provided to schools with high numbers of children from low-income families, aimed at ensuring that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Accountability Systems: Frameworks established by states to evaluate school performance based on student outcomes, often including standardized test scores and other metrics.