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.)

Bucking or ignoring feedback from the U.S. Department of Education on state ESSA plans did not mean that states saw their plans rejected, according to 聽coming out of Columbia University鈥檚 Teachers College.

Education Dive on work by Megan Duff and Priscilla Wohlstetter, who write that they are 鈥渟truck by the blanket approval of all plans, even those that remained in conflict with some objectives of the law, suggesting the federal government has, for now, left the carrots and sticks behind.鈥�

In the absence of either reward or penalty has been negotiation, with the researchers finding that states were watching one another and taking cues from their peers on how to best bargain with the Education Department.

Federal education officials appear to be open to this route in shaping state accountability plans rather than sanctions. The question, researchers say, is whether states will see 鈥渋mproved student achievement as a result of standing up to the federal government.鈥�

Check out below for more ESSA news.

Parent confusion over low-performing schools

The Data Quality Campaign聽highlights from the Center for Education Policy that takes a first look at the number of schools states identified as struggling, based on new ESSA requirements. The center found wide variation, with some states identifying as few as 3 percent of their schools as struggling while others cited as many as 99 percent. That鈥檚 bound to perplex parents. The Data Quality Campaign urges that states 鈥渂e transparent about how [their] accountability system is designed and how it leads to a school鈥檚 identification as 鈥榮truggling,鈥� so families can understand if states are measuring what matters to improve student outcomes.鈥�

ELL grads harmed by ESSA?

Language Magazine聽聽on a Migration Policy Institute study 鈥� 鈥淭he Unintended Consequences for English Learners of Using the Four-Year Graduation Rate for School Accountability鈥� 鈥� which 鈥減rovides a profile of high school ELs and examines causes of dropout, how graduation rates are calculated, and the effects of these rates on students and instructional models.鈥� The report finds that 鈥渞eliance on a school鈥檚 four-year graduation rate for federal performance-accountability purposes can create negative consequences for English learners (ELs), as well as the schools that serve them, since these students often require additional time to develop academic proficiency in English and complete the full range of courses required to obtain a high school diploma.鈥澛燭he article also notes that ESSA accountability plans must include 鈥渆ach school system鈥檚 rate of getting students to graduate within a four-year period beginning at the start of ninth聽grade.鈥� And while 鈥渟tates can supplement their calculation of the聽four-year graduation rate with an extended-year rate,鈥� 16 states and the District of Columbia have chosen not to. Together, those states serve 60 percent of the nation鈥檚 estimated 5 million English learners.

Chronic absenteeism focal point for 36 states

With the implementation of ESSA and its 鈥渆ncouraging more diligent tracking and reporting of student behavior metrics,鈥� chronic absenteeism 鈥渉as become a focal point for parents, principals, districts, and states,鈥� 聽Gallup鈥檚 Mark Reckmeyer. Chronic absenteeism is part of 36 state ESSA plans. This 鈥渦pdated federal education law鈥� 鈥� which is 鈥渋mportant for holding schools accountable for students’ absences鈥� 鈥� is 鈥渋ncreasing the urgency for educators to find ways to decrease chronic absenteeism.鈥� Reckmeyer notes in conclusion: 鈥淚ncreasing student engagement to decrease chronic absenteeism is an attainable, simple and necessary option that all districts and schools should include in their future strategies and goals.鈥�

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