蜜桃影视

Less than two weeks before a federal deadline, the Florida Department of Education may scrap a plan to ask the government for a pass on a key part of its education law, potentially throwing the state鈥檚 school accountability plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act into chaos.

States鈥� ESSA plans typically take months to develop and require public feedback to be successful. Florida did get feedback after releasing its original draft plan in June, but a significant course change this late in the game could produce a hastily prepared plan that doesn鈥檛 have buy-in from parents, teachers, and local school leaders.

In a statement emailed to , a national education advocacy organization, about the state鈥檚 possible reversal on seeking a special exception to the law, Florida Education Department spokeswoman Audrey Walden said, 鈥渋n finalizing Florida鈥檚 plan, we are considering whether waivers are necessary to maintain the policies that have contributed to our students鈥� success.鈥�

That鈥檚 a different tune than the state was singing a month ago.

ESSA says that in grading their schools, states have to factor in the performance of specific groups of students: racial and ethnic minorities, those from low-income families, and other historically disadvantaged kids. But until now, Florida has been adamant that just looking at the lowest-performing students, regardless of race, income, or disability, was the way to go.

In June, state education officials made that case in a to the U.S. Department of Education requesting a waiver from those federal requirements. The letter, which was made public along with the state鈥檚 original ESSA plan, claimed that factoring in each specific group of students didn鈥檛 work the last time the state tried it; it made the system too complicated and caused student performance to stagnate.

If the state is forced by federal law to return to the old system, or something similar, the letter implied, Florida students could suffer and the state could be pushed backward in terms of student achievement.

Now, a spokesperson at the U.S. Department of Education says Florida won鈥檛 send that letter. In private conversations between the office and Florida鈥檚 Education Department, state officials made clear they had decided to abandon their plans to ask for a special exception to the law 鈥� though with a Sept. 18 deadline, they have time to change their minds.

State education leaders say they haven鈥檛 committed to a plan yet.

Without a waiver, Florida will have to begin factoring race, income, and disability status into school grades. The state鈥檚 draft plan called for tracking performance for students in those subgroups and publishing the information, but it wouldn鈥檛 be included in the annual A鈥揊 grade each school gets.

Despite the impact of the state鈥檚 potential reversal, Floridians won鈥檛 get a chance to see or weigh in on the final draft before it goes to the U.S. Department of Education for approval.

鈥淭he department has not submitted its final State Plan to the U.S. Department of Education,鈥� Walden wrote in an emailed statement. 鈥淥nce we do, we will be happy to share it.鈥�

The first draft of Florida鈥檚 plan was developed with the help of parents, teachers, education advocates, and other stakeholders across the state. When it was released, the department asked for additional feedback from the public. Several civil rights groups blasted the department for planning to bypass the part of the law that requires accountability for specific groups of students, saying that would 鈥渟et a disturbing precedent for other states.鈥�

The department by thanking everyone who took the time to weigh in on the plan.

All states that haven鈥檛 submitted their education plans already are required to do so by Sept. 18. So far, New York and New Jersey have also expressed a desire to seek waivers from certain portions of the law.

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