蜜桃影视

This update on the Every Student Succeeds Act and the education plans now being implemented by states and school districts is produced in partnership with ESSA Essentials, an ongoing series from the Collaborative for Student Success. It鈥檚 an offshoot of their聽聽newsletter, which you can聽! (See our recent ESSA updates聽from previous weeks right here.)

According to聽, guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education that tells school districts to 鈥渄irect much more coronavirus aid than they expected to private school students鈥� has sparked opposition in the education community. The Department says that school districts must use COVID-19 relief funds 鈥渢o provide 鈥榚quitable services鈥� for all local private school students.鈥� However, public school advocates argue that this funding should 鈥渇ollow what the Every Student Succeeds Act says and be set aside to provide services only for certain disadvantaged and at-risk students, like technology licenses and parent engagement.鈥�

While the Department of Education鈥檚 guidance is not law 鈥� or even a set of regulations 鈥� the disagreement over how funds should be allocated does set the stage for a long, drawn-out and potentially legal fight between school districts and the federal agency. Also, last week saw a 鈥渄eclaration from the American Federation of Teachers and AASA, the School Administrators Association, that .鈥� Five other national groups , while separately, the national group that represents chief state school officers also recently that she 鈥渟hould rethink her guidance.鈥�

Here are the week鈥檚 other top headlines for how states are implementing (and innovating under) ESSA:

Student evaluation will need to adapt to post-pandemic world

This editorial in the聽 outlines a problem educators nationwide are facing: how to most effectively measure student progress in a post-pandemic world. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, all states have sent requests to the U.S. Department of Education in an effort to receive waivers of standardized testing requirements established under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Now, educators are left wondering how to measure student progress, including how to compare students 鈥渨ith strong internet connections and stable home settings鈥� with their 鈥減eers whose families might be in crisis.鈥�

To address this, and a myriad of other concerns, 鈥渟chool districts and their leaders should start a deeper conversation now to evaluate individual student progress and needs.鈥�

Kansas receives federal grant to improve early childhood education

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and childhood leaders in the state that an $8.9 million grant from the Administration for Children and Families has been awarded 鈥渢o continue efforts to strengthen the early childhood system鈥� across the state. The funds are 鈥減rovided through the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).鈥�

According to the governor, 鈥淭his grant is particularly welcome now, as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an additional degree of stress on early childhood in Kansas. With it, we will continue to fight for the health and safety of children and families in our state.鈥�

This funding will help 鈥渟upport systems-alignment, infrastructure, and innovation at the local and state level,鈥� and parents can 鈥渆xpect to see investments in activities that build a sustainable infrastructure for the early childhood system.鈥�

Education groups pushing for new federal K-12 funding

Recently, dozens of groups that calls for聽鈥渁t least $250 billion in new federal aid for K-12 schools聽and higher education, as part of a broader push to shore up state and local government funding.鈥�

The request additionally encourages Congress to focus on providing relief for 鈥渟tudents from low-income households and special education as well as efforts to help students connect to the internet鈥� while supporting key programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The letter鈥檚 signatories included 鈥渕ore than 70 organizations,鈥� such as teachers unions, think tanks, civil rights groups and others.

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