Every Student Succeeds Act

Definition

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a U.S. law passed in 2015 that replaced No Child Left Behind and aims to provide all students with a fair and high-quality education. It emphasizes state control over educational standards and accountability while maintaining federal support for low-income students and those with disabilities. This act connects to education financing by encouraging states to allocate resources effectively and also impacts curriculum standards by requiring states to develop their own assessments and benchmarks for student achievement.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. ESSA allows states more flexibility in designing their own educational systems, including setting their own academic standards and determining how to evaluate school performance.
2. The law emphasizes the importance of equity, ensuring that disadvantaged students have access to quality education and resources.
3. ESSA requires states to create plans for improving struggling schools and ensures that parents have the right to be informed about their children's educational progress.
4. Under ESSA, standardized testing is still a requirement, but states can choose how to use the results to inform instruction and improvement strategies.
5. The act also encourages the use of evidence-based practices in education, promoting innovative teaching methods that can enhance student learning outcomes.

Review Questions

• How does the Every Student Succeeds Act empower states in terms of educational governance?
  • The Every Student Succeeds Act empowers states by giving them the authority to set their own educational standards and accountability systems. Unlike its predecessor, No Child Left Behind, which imposed strict federal guidelines, ESSA allows states to design assessments that align with their unique educational goals. This shift fosters greater local control, enabling educators to tailor their approaches based on community needs while still ensuring that all students receive a quality education.
• In what ways does ESSA address educational equity for disadvantaged students?
  • ESSA addresses educational equity by emphasizing the need for resources and support for low-income students and those with disabilities. It includes provisions like Title I funding, which allocates federal resources specifically to schools with high percentages of disadvantaged students. Furthermore, the law mandates that states develop improvement plans for underperforming schools, ensuring that all students have access to a fair chance at academic success regardless of their background or circumstances.
• Evaluate the impact of ESSA on curriculum standards and assessment practices across different states.
  • ESSA has significantly impacted curriculum standards and assessment practices by allowing each state to define its own academic benchmarks and evaluation methods. This flexibility means that while states must still conduct standardized testing, they can incorporate diverse assessment tools that reflect local priorities. This change encourages innovation in teaching methods and enables states to adopt best practices suited for their populations. However, it also raises concerns about inconsistencies in educational quality across state lines, potentially leading to disparities in student achievement nationwide.

Related terms

No Child Left Behind: A federal law enacted in 2001 that aimed to improve educational outcomes through standardized testing and accountability measures.

Accountability: A system of holding schools and educators responsible for student performance, often measured through standardized assessments.

Title I: A provision within ESSA that provides federal funding to schools with high percentages of low-income students to help ensure that all children meet challenging academic standards.