The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), legislation that will replace the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) will be sent to the White House where President Obama is expected to sign it into law within the week.
Key highlights of ESSA include
- Shifting key decisions about accountability, educator evaluations, and school improvement to state and district authorities.
- Updating the definition and delivery of educator supports to ensure personalized, ongoing, job-embedded activities are available to all school staff.
- Allowing states to limit the amount of time spent testing and decide how much weight to give tests in their accountability systems.
- Requiring state accountability systems to include both academic and other indicators of school quality, such as student or educator engagement or school climate and safety.
- Requiring state plans to show how they are improving conditions for learning, including reducing bullying and harassment and addressing behavioral interventions that compromise student health and safety.
To learn more, visit ASCD.