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This Week鈥檚 ESSA News: States Rethinking Report Cards, Using Data to Inform School Oversight, Targeting Classrooms for Additional Support & More

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听听newsletter, which you can听! (See our recent ESSA updates听from previous weeks right here.)

Alyson Klein听听for听Education Weekthat states are starting to release their lists of schools targeted for additional support 鈥 鈥淎dditional Targeted Schools鈥 (that鈥檚 the 鈥渨onky term for a particular set of schools that need improvement鈥). This categorization could 鈥渆nd up describing anywhere from 30 to 70 percent of schools, according to preliminary observations by the Center for Assessment, a nonprofit that works with states on testing and accountability.鈥 Klein notes that although 鈥渢hat may be the typical range, many states will be under the 30 percent threshold.鈥

In California, for example, 鈥渁t least a quarter of schools would qualify鈥澨齛nd a 鈥減lurality of those schools would qualify because of struggling performance among students in special education.鈥 Or take Louisiana, which 鈥渇ound by using data from 2015 and 2016 that about 42 percent of its schools would fall into the category,鈥 with most being identified because of 鈥減oor performance of students in special education.鈥

鈥淪o what exactly are Additional Targeted Schools and what’s required of them under ESSA?鈥 Klein asks. Under the law, states must 鈥渇lag Title I schools that are in the bottom 5 percent of performers in the state for what’s called 鈥榗omprehensive support and improvement.鈥欌 In those schools, districts are required to develop an evidence-based plan to help the school, which is then monitored by the state.

More of the top ESSA updates from the past week:

1 More states releasing new school report cards

Across the country, states have been releasing their new school report cards to comply with ESSA鈥檚 that states and districts detail 鈥渟chool performance and progress in an understandable and uniform format by the end of the year.鈥

Washington, D.C., its newest report card and School Transparency and Reporting (STAR) Framework on Dec. 7. The report card 鈥減rovides families with 鈥榓 set of common, reliable and transparent data 鈥 that families can use as they make decisions about which school or schools are a best fit for their children.鈥欌 D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser the Washington Post. 鈥淚f we know that we have schools that are challenged and need interventions, this gives us a common framework to be able to discuss those challenges and interventions.鈥

Maryland also its school report card earlier that week. Their system uses a 5-star rating system, with rankings 鈥渂ased on academic and non-academic factors鈥 including 鈥減rogress in achieving English language proficiency for English Learners, chronic absenteeism, preparation for postsecondary success, access to a well-rounded curriculum and graduation rate.鈥

2 School improvement = state improvement

Dale Chu听听in听Governing听that ESSA gives state education leaders 鈥 particularly governors and chiefs 鈥 a unique opportunity to provide all students with a great education.

At the 鈥渉eart of this opportunity鈥 are state plans, which 鈥渙utline how each state will ensure educational excellence and equity.鈥 Chu recently served as a peer reviewer for the Collaborative for Student Success鈥檚 听effort, and he notes that 鈥渢oo many states are missing the mark on equity when it comes to doing what鈥檚 needed to improve low-performing schools.鈥 In fact, 鈥渕any states are choosing a hands-off approach that creates a greater risk in schools and districts that have historically struggled.鈥 Strong plans (like Tennessee鈥檚 and New Mexico鈥檚) are 鈥渕ore assertive in supporting school improvement and reflect a greater understanding of the mission-critical nature of a state鈥檚 education system.鈥

3 Tying education goals to hard data that can be tracked and measured

Recently,听the Data Quality Campaign (DQC) released its annual landscape analysis,, which examines state efforts to leverage data to improve student outcomes and also takes a look at future opportunities to do so under ESSA.

DQC鈥檚 analysis found that state leaders responded to the opportunities under ESSA by setting education goals that can be measured and met using data. But now they must make good on these promises and take the next steps to put data to work for students.听DQC鈥檚 report lays out the actions state leaders can take to use data in service of ESSA goals, including examples and best practices from bright-spot states leading this work.

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