ESSA Voices: The Every Student Succeeds Act, Four Years ...

The Every Student Succeeds Act is now four years old; here's what educators ... “Less time is being focused just on test scores,” he said. Leadership Back Leadership Budget&Finance Equity&Diversity Families&theCommunity ProfessionalDevelopment Recruitment&Retention School&DistrictManagement SchoolClimate&Safety StudentAchievement StudentWell-Being Policy&Politics Back Policy&Politics PoliticsK-12 Accountability EducationFunding EveryStudentSucceedsAct Federal International Law&Courts SchoolChoice&Charters States Teaching&Learning Back Teaching&Learning Assessment College&WorkforceReadiness Curriculum EarlyChildhood English-LanguageLearners Mathematics Reading&Literacy Science SocialStudies SpecialEducation Standards Teaching TeacherPreparation TeachingProfession Technology Back Technology ClassroomTechnology Data Ed-TechPolicy FutureofWork ITInfrastructure ITManagement PersonalizedLearning Privacy&Security AllTopics Jobs Back Jobs SearchforJobs SignupforJobAlerts VirtualCareerFairs PostaJob CareerAdvice CareersatEdWeek Opinion Back Opinion OpinionBlogs SubmitanEssay SubmitaLettertotheEditor AboutUs Advertising&MarketingSolutions GroupSubscriptions RecruitmentAdvertising EventsandWebinars LeaderstoLearnFrom CurrentIssue SpecialReports Newsletters Resources Video EdWeekResearchCenter EdWeekTopSchoolJobs EdWeekMarketBrief Menu Search SignIn Subscribe ESSAVoices:TheEveryStudentSucceedsAct,FourYearsLater Subscribe Reset Search Leadership Policy&Politics Teaching&Learning Technology Opinion Jobs MarketBrief EveryStudentSucceedsAct ESSAVoices:TheEveryStudentSucceedsAct,FourYearsLater By AndrewUjifusa,EvieBlad&DaarelBurnetteII — December09,2019 19minread Getty/Getty Sharearticle Remove Savetofavorites Savetofavorites Print Email LinkedIn Twitter CopyURL WhenPresidentBarackObamasignedtheEveryStudentSucceedsActonDec.10,2015,hecalledita“Christmasmiracle.”Thelaw,whichreplacedthemuch-criticizedNoChildLeftBehindAct,representedyearsofnegotiations,promisingsignsthatfizzled,andeventualbipartisanagreement.Sincethen,thestoryaboutthelawhasbecomealotmorecomplicated.Althoughthelawshiftedkeyauthorityoverschoolimprovement,teacherevaluations,andfundingtransparencytostatesanddistricts,publicschoolsarestillintheprocessofformallyadjustingtoESSA.AmidrecentheadlinesthatU.S.students’performanceonstandardizedexamsisstagnatingorworse,wedon’tknowwhatifanyimpactthelawwillhavelong-termonschools’abilitytoserveallstudentsandservethemwell.Onethingcanbesaidforsure:EventhoughESSA’sauthorizationperiodhasnowtechnicallyexpired—itwasoriginallyauthorizedforfouryears—andeventhoughtheTrumpadministration’sapproachtoESSAhassharplydividedDemocratsandRepublicans,theuniversalexpectationonCapitolHillisthatitwilleffectivelybethelawofthelandforyearstocome.There’srecentprecedentforthemainfederalK-12lawtobeoverdueforanupdateforyearsatatime;NoChildLeftBehind’sauthorizationexpiredin2007. TogaugehowESSAisbeingviewedfouryearsonbythosewhoarelivingwiththelawdaytoday,wetouchedbasewitheducatorsandofficialsacrosstheK-12spectrum,fromclassroomteachersandprincipalstosuperintendentsandU.S.SecretaryofEducationBetsyDeVos,togettheirviewsofESSA.Clickonthemenubelowtoseewhatthesepeoplehadtosay:Sen.LamarAlexander,R-Tenn.|JessicaBaghian|JillianBalow|DianaCournoyer|RyanDaniel|U.S.SecretaryofEducationBetsyDeVos|DeniseForte|Rep.VirginiaFoxx,R-N.C.|RosemaryHughes|ReneeHyde,Ed.D.|SaraKerr|LillianLowery|CarlasMcCauley|Sen.PattyMurray,D-Wash.|ShannaPeeples|MargueriteRoza,Ph.D.|Rep.BobbyScott,D-Va.|MarkSass|MichelleYoungbloodJarmanSen.LamarAlexander,R-Tenn. Chairman,SenateEducationCommittee Inastatement,AlexanderagainemphasizedthatESSAcorrectlytookpoweroverkeyeducationdecisionsoutofWashington’scontrol.“Onthisfourthanniversary,weshouldrememberthatthebestdecisionsaboutincreasingstudentachievementandfixingthelowest-performingschoolsareusuallymadestatebystate,communitybycommunity,”Alexandersaid.Healsopraisedstatesforhowthey’veactuallyimplementedthelaw. “Lesstimeisbeingfocusedjustontestscores,”hesaid.“Stateshavebeguntoidentifythelowestperformingschoolsandprovideextrasupportduringthisschoolyear.”In2017,AlexandersharplycriticizedtheU.S.DepartmentofEducationforquestioningelementsofDelaware’sproposedESSAplan.Sincethen,Alexanderhastakenalargelyhands-offapproachtothelaw.He’salsosaidthatheexpectsESSAtobethelawofthelandformanyyearsevenafteritsauthorizationperiodexpires.JessicaBaghian LouisianaAssistantStateSuperintendent “Ithasprovidedanopportunityforustorefineourstrategies,andalso,inthecaseofassessment,followtheresearchandinnovateinassessmentinawaythatwasnotallowedunderthepreviousstructures,”Baghiansaid.LouisianaisusingapilotprogramunderESSAtofundamentallyoverhaulitsassessmentsystem,withthegoalofmeasuringstudentsonbothEnglish/languageartsandsocialstudieswithoutusingthetraditionalend-of-yearexamsmadefamous(orinfamous)byNoChildLeftBehind.Thepilotistakingplaceinmiddleschoolsthisyear,andapproximately21,000studentsareparticipating.Baghian,whooverseesassessmentinthePelicanState,saidESSAhasallowedthestatetobuildonitsowninitiatives.Thenewtestingsystem,forexample,isintendedtoleverageitsworkonastatewidecurriculumusedbythevastmajorityofLouisianadistricts.JillianBalow WyomingSuperintendentofPublicInstruction InitsapprovedESSAplan,Wyomingisholdingschoolsaccountableinpartbyhighlightinganew“equity”indicatorbasedonthegrowthofthelowest-performingquartileofstudents,aswellasameasureofpost-secondaryreadinessrelyingonavarietyofdatapoints,fromAdvancedPlacementscorestoindustrycertificates. “Insteadoftryingtoskimoverinequities,orputthegooddataoutfronttohidethebaddata,onethingthatESSAhasdoneisallowedusallanopportunitytorevealinequities,”said,Balow,aRepublicanelectedtothepositionin2014and2018.“Theequityindicatorhasallowedustoreallyrethinkeverythingwedoatthestateeducationagency,”fromthefeedbackthestategetsfromteachers,toeffortstoalignassessmentswithstatestandards.DianaCournoyer ExecutiveDirector,NationalIndianEducationAssociation BeforeESSA,Cournoyersaid,states,localdistricts,andthefederalgovernmentoftenignoredNativeAmericantribesbyleavingthemoutofimportantdecisions,ormakingitdifficultfortribalmemberstohavearealvoiceindiscussions.“Therewasnodialogue,therewasnobackandforth,”saidCournoyer,amemberoftheOglalaSiouxtribe.“Itwasagencies—federal,stateandlocal—saying:Thisiswhatwe’redoing.”That’schangedsomeunderESSA,shesaid.StateslikeOklahoma,Oregon,andWashingtonaretrulytryingtomeetthelaw’snew,more-robustdefinitionof“meaningfulconsultation”withtribesonseveralissues.“Itprovidedanopportunityfortribestohaveaseatatthetable...notjustatthebeginningoftheyearbutthroughouttheyear,inthedevelopmentofstateplans,”shesaid.Shesaysthatapproachhasspreadtoothereducationissues.InOregon,forexample,ESSA’srequirementfortribestobemorecloselyinvolvedinkeydecisionsledtothestate’sdecisiontoinitiatethecreationofacurriculumthatfocusesonAmericanIndianandAlaskaNativehistory. Cournoyersaidthe“meaningfulconsultation”requirementmadeadifferencewhenstatesdevelopedtheirESSAplans.However,shesaysNativeAmericanparentsstillencounterdifficultieswhentheyquestionorcriticizedistricts’decisionsinotherareas.RyanDaniel Principal,ChillumElementarySchool,Hyattsville,Md. Morethanhalf—52percent—ofDaniel’sstudentsareEnglish-languagelearners.ESSA,anditsincreasedfocusonthosestudents,hasledhertohireanadditionalELLteacherandtousefederalresourcestoprovideEnglishclassesforparentsatherschool.Outsidetheschoolwalls,Daniel,whoisinherthirdyearleadingChillumElementary,saidESSAhasdefinitelymeantstepped-upmonitoringofhowfundsareusedandagreatfocusonaccountability,especiallywhenitcomestohowtheschoolisrated.“There’sdefinitelybeenmoretransparencytothecommunityaroundhoweachschoolhasbeenperforming,”Danielsaid.ButDanielsaidithassometimesbeendifficulttoexplainthatjustbecauseaschooldoesnotgetfivestarsonthestate’sESSAaccountabilitysystem,“thatdoesn’tmeantherearen’tgreatthingsthatarehappeningwithinthebuilding.”Similarly,ESSA’schangestoteachercertificationrequirementshaveledtomoreopportunitiesforhertohireeducatorswithalternativecertification,butalsomorechallengesinexplainingtoparentsaboutwhatgoesintothosehiringdecisions. BetsyDeVos U.S.SecretaryofEducation Credit:SusanWalsh/AP DeVoshasencouragedstatestotakefulladvantageoftheflexibilityESSAoffersthembecause,shesaidinastatement,“Itrepresentedanimportantstepinshiftingpowertowhereitbelongsineducation:familiesandthestates.”Andshehasn’tbeenafraidtocriticizestatespubliclywhenshebelievestheyhaven’tusedESSAtoblazenewtrails,asshedidin2018duringpublicremarkstostateeducationchiefs.Yetsofar,hereffortstouseESSAtoleveragenewschoolchoiceopportunitieshavefallenshortonCapitolHill.Forthemostpart,DeVosdeclinedtopickfightswithstatesovertheirproposedESSAplans.That’sinlargepartduetoherdistasteforrobustfederalinterventioninstateandlocaleducationdecisions.Infact,sherecentlytoldstatelawmakersthatESSAshouldbethestartingpointforaconversationaboutwhythefederalroleineducationhasfailed.AndshesaidthesamemotivationbehindESSAtoshiftpowerfromWashingtontothestatesshouldbetakenupinturnbystates.“LocallawmakersshouldalwayslooktoextendthesameflexibilityESSAallowsstatestoteachers,parents,andstudentsthemselves,”shesaidinhersamestatement.“MorestatesneedtoembracetheopportunitiesESSAaffordstodowhat’srightfortheirstudents.”DeniseForte SeniorVicePresidentforPartnershipandEngagement,theEducationTrust TheEducationTrust,acivilrightsadvocacygroupledbyformerObama-eraSecretaryofEducationJohnB.KingJr.,hasbeenoneofthemostcriticalvoicesofhowtheTrumpadministrationhashandledESSA.AndFortesaysthestateandlocalactiviststheorganizationworkswithsaythoseconcernshaven’tabated. “We’vebeenconcernedfromtheoutsetthatthelawaswritten,whichwasmeanttobeacivilrightslaw,withouttherightfederalguidance,support,andoversight,wecouldn’tbethatsureaboutwhattheoutcomesweregoingtobeforkids,”Fortesaid.“[Thestateandlocalactivists]areveryclearthatthesecretarysortofapprovedthese[ESSA]planswilly-nilly.”FortegavekudostostateslikeLouisianaforbeingaggressiveintheproportionofschoolsthattheyhaveidentifiedasneedingimprovementunderESSA.ButwithouttheproperresourcesandoversightfromWashingtonoverthelongterm,shesaid,“Ithinkwearelookingatasituationwherestudentoutcomesarenotgoingtoimproveandwearebacktowherewestarted,whenwefirststartedtryingtowriteESSAandsolvetheseproblems.”Rep.VirginiaFoxx,R-N.C. RankingMember,HouseEducationCommittee FoxxwasnotaleadauthorofESSA.ButshedidleadtheHouseeducationcommitteeinthe115thCongressduringroughlythefirsttwoyearsoftheTrumpadministration.Earlyin2017,shesupportedthepushinCongresstooverturnESSAaccountabilityruleswrittenbytheObamaadministration,amoveultimatelyapprovedbyPresidentDonaldTrump.Andshe’ssupportedSecretaryofEducationBetsyDeVos’desiretoletcommunities,andnotthefederalgovernment,tacklebigK-12challenges.“Historyhasshownthatatop-downapproachtoK-12educationdidnotservestudents,teachers,parents,orstateswell,”Foxxsaidinastatement,“andESSAdirectlyaddressedthoseshortcomingsbygivingstatesandschooldistrictsnewindependenceinrunningK-12programs,endingthe‘Washingtonknowsbest’approach.”RosemaryHughes DirectoroftheBureauofSchoolSupport,PennsylvaniaDepartmentofEducation UnderESSA,roughly700Pennsylvaniapublicschoolshavebeenidentifiedasneedingsomekindofimprovement.Thatcanputpressureonalotofeducationadministrators.ButHugheswantsthemtofocusontheprocess,andwhat’sattherootoftheirchallenges,ratherthanrushingheadlongintoaquickfix.“Whatwe’refocusingonunderESSAisnotjustselectingaplan…butthatyouactuallyhavetobedisciplinedandfocusedonwhatittakestoimplementthatstrategy,”saidHughes. Amongotherthings,shesaid,thatmeanshelpingprincipalsbecomemore“informedconsumers”aboutevidence-basedstrategiesforturningaroundlow-performingschools.Italsomeans,Pennsylvania’scase,creatingacuratedresourceofimprovementstrategiesbutnotprescribinganytoanyparticularschool.“WhatESSAhasintroducedistheneedtocontinuouslycollectdataandanalyzethosedatatobeabletocommunicatewhethersomethingisworkingornotworking,”Hughestoldus.ReneeHyde,Ed.D. AssociateProfessorofPractice,UniversityofNebraska-Lincoln ESSAeasedsomerequirementsthatwereparticularlychallengingforruraldistrictswithsmalladministrativestaffs,saidHyde.Forexample,itscrappedNoChildLeftBehind’smoreprescriptive“highlyqualified”teacherrequirementsandgavestatestheabilitytosettheirowndefinitionofeffectiveeducators.Thoserequirementswerechallenging,particularlyinruralareaswithfewerteachercandidates,saidHyde,whopreviouslysupervisedhumanresourcesandstudentservicesforaNebraskadistrictandservedonacommitteetoinformherstate’sESSAplan.Thepreviousrequirement“feltlikeonemorehooptojumpthrough,”shesaid,“anditdidn’timprovethequalityoftheteachers.”SaraKerr VicePresident,EducationPolicyImplementation,ResultsforAmerica “Ithinkit’sworkedoutthewaytheauthorswroteit,”saidKerr,whosegroupworkswithstatesonESSAimplementation.“Ithinkit’sbeingimplementedinsomewaysasintendedandwithoutbigsurprises.” Oneexample:Nevada’sworkinensuringinputfromacrosstheK-12spacewhenmakingkeydecisions,matchingschoolswithpre-vettedprovidersofeducationservices,andpartneringwithdistrictstorolloutresearchstudiesofeffectivestrategieswithinthestate.Suchactions,Kerrsaid,showthatwhenstatesaredeliberate,thoughtful,andsupportiveofschools,theycantakeadvantageofwhatESSAhastooffer.Atthesametime,it’sfartooearlytoknowwhereandhowstateshaveusedESSAmosteffectively,Kerrsaid.Andthewayitshrinksthefederalfootprintandburdenonstatesanddistrictsshouldn’tgetunqualifiedpraise,shesaid:“IworrythatunderESSAwe’vereallyrolledbackourabilitytoevenunderstandtheextenttowhichstudentshaveaccesstohigh-quality,effectiveeducators.”LillianLowery FormerMarylandStateSuperintendentofSchoolsandDelawareSecretaryofEducation,VicePresidentofStudentandTeacherAssessmentsatEducationalTestingService Federallawmakershavehandedmoreresponsibilityovereducationtothestates,andstatesneedtousethatpowerresponsibly,saidLowery,whoservedasschoolschiefintwostatesthatagreedtochangetheireducationsystemsasconditionsforRacetotheTopgrantsbeforeESSApassed.“Whenwetalkaboutaccountability,let’sbeclear-eyedaboutthat:Areourkidslearningornot?”Lowerysaid.SomecriticizedtheRacetheTopprocessasanexampleoffederalofficialsexertingtoomuchcontrol.Lowerywarnedthatwithoutasmuchfederalcontrol,statesneedtobesuretheyaren’tjust“workingonaplantoworkonaplan”tofixfailingschools,butareactuallydoingtheurgentworknecessarytoimprovethem,shesaid. “Whenthesethingsaren’thappeningnow,theonlyoneswecanpointtoaretheonesweseeinthemirror,”Lowerysaid.CarlasMcCauley DirectorofResearchandPartnerships,UniversityofCalifornia,Davis ThankstoESSA,stateandlocalleadershave“reallyshiftedtheirconversations”aboutschoolimprovementinseveralpromisingways,saidMcCauley,whousedtooverseeSchoolImprovementGrantsattheU.S.DepartmentofEducationundertheObamaadministration.ESSAhasgiveneducatorsspacetostopandreflectabouthowtheyknowstrategiesareworking,andtoadjusttheirpracticesaccordingly.“OneofthethingsIthinkwemayhavelackedovertheyearsisreallycreatingalearningenvironmentforoursystem,”McCauleytoldus.ButnowthanksinparttoESSA,hesaid,“I’mseeingpiecesofthatacrossthecountry.”Kentuckyisanexampleofastate,hesaid,thathasusedESSAtoensurethatitisabletoprovideappropriateresourcestoitslower-performingdistrictstoimprovetheirschools.McCauleyhasconcernsthattheremaynotbeenoughfederaloversightofESSA.ButhealsosaidfoundationsandprivateorganizationsaresteppingintotryandensureESSAisbeingappropriatelyimplemented.“Ifin10years,whenweaskourselves‘DidESSAwork?’I’dsayouranswerwillbeno.Butthat’snottherightquestion,”McCauleysaid.Therightquestion,heargued,is,“WherewasESSAleveragedtocreatebetteroutcomes?” Sen.PattyMurray,D-Wash. RankingMember,SenateEducationCommittee TheprotectionsinthelawfordisadvantagedstudentsthatMurrayworkedtoputinthebillfouryearsagoaren’tworkingasintended,shesaid,becauseoftheTrumpadministration.Andmorethantwodecadesoffederaleducationpolicymakingcouldbeunderminedasaresult,sheargues.“Weputinguardrailstomakesurethatstudentsdidn’tfallthroughthecracks,”Murraysaid.“Wedidn’twanttobefiveor10yearsoutfrompassingthatbillandbebackinthesameplaceasbeforewepassedtheNoChildLeftBehindbill.”MurraysaysESSAhasfulfilleditspromiseofrelievingthepressurethattestinghadincreasinglyputonstudents,teachers,andschools.ButherbiggesttargetforcriticismisU.S.SecretaryofEducationBetsyDeVos,whoshesayshas“simplyapproved[stateESSA]plansthatviolatethelaw.”“IjustseealotofproblemswithhowSecretaryDeVosisimplementingthislaw,”Murraysaid.(Amongotherthings,MurrayindicatedthatplansapprovedbyDeVosdonotproperlyidentifyschoolswithstrugglingsubgroupsthewayESSArequiresthemto.)Asforrewritingthelawanytimesoon?MurraysaidmakingmajorrevisionstoESSAconstitutesaverydifficulttask.“IexpectwithanewadministrationandaconfirmationofanewsecretaryofeducationthatitwouldbeonethatreallyfocusedonmeetingthegoalsofESSAbillsaswestated,”shesaid. ShannaPeeples CouncilofChiefStateSchoolOfficersStudent-CenteredLearningFellow;2015NationalTeacheroftheYear AsclassroomteacherwhenESSApassed,Peeplessawtwobigsellingpointsforeducators:anemphasisonteacherleadershipandthepromiseoflessemphasisontesting.“NowthatI’montheothersideofitandlookingatthepolicydeeply,Iseesomanymissedopportunitiesforteachers,”Peeplessaid.Ratherthanstepoutsideoftheboxandtrynewthings,someschoolanddistrictleadersare“defensiveandself-protective”andhaveadopteda“compliancemindset,”Peeplessaid.Ifmoreteachersunderstoodthelaw,theycouldcollectivelyadvocateforissuesthatdirectlyconcernthem,suchaspressingforTitleIfundstobespentonimprovingstudentmentalhealthsupportsorcoordinatingwraparoundservices.“It’sbeenarevelationtome,”Peeplessaid.“It’ssocriticalthatteachersknowpolicy,butI’malsosoawareofwhat’sonateacher’splateday-to-day.”MargueriteRoza,Ph.D. SchoolFinanceProfessor,GeorgetownUniversity,DirectoroftheEdunomicsLab ESSArequiresdistrictsforthefirsttimetobreakoutforthepublichowmuchmoneytheyspendoneachindividualschool.Statesarerequiredtopublishthedataonits2018-19reportcards,andbutatleast20stateshavealreadydoneso.“Mostofthemarediligentlyandurgentlygoingthroughtheprocess,”saidRoza,whohaswrittenextensivelyaboutfinancialtransparencyandhelpedstatedepartmentofficialscomplywiththenewrequirements.“Somearedoingspectacularlywell.”Rozasaidthenextchallengeforstatesistogetdistrictstoembraceandusethedata. “It’sabsolutelytruethatdistrictsaregenerallyanxiousaboutthisdata.They’refeelinglikeit’sanairingoftheirdirtylaundry.Iftheytakethatreaction,wewon’tgetveryfar.Butwe’vefoundthatwhentheyworkwiththedata,theysay,‘Iseethevaluenow,wecandothis.’It’sstates’responsibilitytobringdistrictsalong.”MarkSass U.S.HistoryTeacher,LegacyHighSchool,Broomfield,Colo. Asa2015-16TeacherAmbassadorFellowattheU.S.DepartmentofEducation,SasssawESSAtakeshapeandbecomereality.Heandhispeersatthedepartmentwereinitiallyhopefulthatitwouldrepresentabigopportunityforstatestotrulyinnovate.Now,Sasssaid,“WhenIseealotoftheopportunitiesthatwerepresentedinESSA,Idon’tseethattheyweretakenadvantageof.”He’sdisappointedinhowstates(includingColorado)haveapproachedESSA’spermissiontomeasureandprioritizeschoolclimateandotherfactorsinstudentsuccessthataren’ttestscoresandgraduation.Mostofficialshavegonefor“low-hangingfruit,”specificallychronicabsenteeism,insteadofworkingcloselywithcommunitiestofigureoutwhatschoolsshouldbescrutinizingandworkingtochangeforthebetter,hesaid.Thatproblematicapproach,hesaid,extendstohowColoradodiscussedandgatheredinputforESSAandwhothestatetalkstoaboutkeyissues.“They’reusingthesamestructures.They’reusingthesamegroupsthattheywerebefore,”Sasssaid.Rep.BobbyScott,D-Va. Chairman,HouseEducationCommittee OneofESSA’sprimaryarchitects,Scotthasrepeatedlystressedthatatitsheart,ESSAisacivilrightslaw,justliketheoriginalElementaryandSecondaryEducationAct,andthatitisdesignedtoservehistoricallydisadvantagedstudents. Healsohasn’tbeenshyaboutsharplycriticizingSecretaryofEducationBetsyDeVos’approachtoESSA;he’sindicatedthatshe’sapprovedplansthatdon’tdoenoughforthosestudents.AndScotthasalsowarnedstatesthatESSA’sflexibilitydoesnotrepresenta“blankcheck”forthemtofloutthelaw.“ESSAremainsastrongfoundationthatcansupportmeaningfulimprovementstoourpubliceducationsystem,”Scottsaidinastatement.“Butitrequireseducatorsandpolicymakersacrossthecountrytorecommittothespiritofthelawandoursharedresponsibilitytoprovideaqualitypublicschooleducationtoeverystudent.”MichelleYoungbloodJarman LiteratureTeacher,EagleRockJunior-SeniorHighSchool,LosAngeles Accountabilitysystemscanonlymeasuresomuch,saidYoungbloodJarman,a2016LosAngelesTeacheroftheYear.Inherview,ESSAhasthepotentialtochangethat,buthasyettodosoinameaningfulway.“Wewerelookingforsystemicchange,andnowit’smostlycompliance,”shesaid.“Thathappenssometimes:‘Herearetheruleswe’vecomeupwith,andnowhere’sthecompliance.’”Example:California’sESSAaccountabilitydashboardmayshowthenumberofsuspensionsaredroppinginaschoolordistrict,shesaid,butthedatadon’tnecessarilyshowwhethereducatorshaveaddressedunderlyingproblemsthatleadtomisbehavior,likeanxietyorexposuretotrauma.AsCongressconsideredwhattoincludeinESSA,YoungbloodJarmanworkedwithEducatorsforExcellence,ateacher-ledorganization,todraftprioritiesforthebill.Shewasencouragedtoseeanexpandedaccountabilityfocusthatencouragedstatestotrackdataonissueslikeschoolclimateandstudentabsenteeism. Butshealsosaid,“Ifwejustcollectdatabutwedon’tfollowupwithresourcestomakethatsystemicchange,that’snotresults.” AndrewUjifusa AssistantEditor,  EducationWeek AndrewUjifusawasanassistanteditorwhocoversnationaleducationpolicyandpolitics. twitter EvieBlad Follow Unfollow StaffWriter,  EducationWeek EvieBladisareporterforEducationWeek. twitter email DaarelBurnetteII Follow Unfollow AssistantManagingEditor,  EducationWeek DaarelBurnetteIIisanassistantmanagingeditorforEducationWeek. twitter email RelatedTags: FederalPolicy ESEA Related EveryStudentSucceedsAct ESSA'sGrowingPainsEvidentAmidProgress MarkBomster,April2,2019 • 2minread Remove Savetofavorites Openimagecaption Closeimagecaption Getty/EducationWeek EveryStudentSucceedsAct States,DistrictsTackletheToughWorkofMakingESSAaReality AlysonKlein,April2,2019 • 10minread Remove Savetofavorites SignUpforEdWeekUpdate Getthelatesteducationnewsdeliveredtoyourinboxdaily. Email* Signup Thankyouforsubscribing. 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RickHess • 3minread Remove Savetofavorites Openimagecaption Closeimagecaption DigitalVisionVectors/Getty EveryStudentSucceedsAct BidenEducationDepartmentApprovesOneRequesttoCancelStateTestsButRejectsOthers OfficialswillallowD.C.tocanceltests.Theydeniedsimilarrequestsfromtwootherstatesandapprovedlessextensivewaiverrequests. EvieBlad&AndrewUjifusa • 6minread Remove Savetofavorites Openimagecaption Closeimagecaption smolaw11/iStock/Getty EveryStudentSucceedsAct RepublicansTellMiguelCardonaHisPlanforESSAWaiversSeemstoViolatetheLaw TheEveryStudentSucceedsActdoesn'tpermittheeducationsecretarytoseekcertaindatahe'saskingfor,thetwoGOPlawmakerssay. AndrewUjifusa • 4minread Remove Savetofavorites Openimagecaption Closeimagecaption WhiteHousepresssecretaryJenPsaki,left,listensasEducationSecretaryMiguelCardona,center,speaksduringapressbriefingattheWhiteHouseonMarch17,2021. AndrewHarnik/AP EveryStudentSucceedsAct HowWillESSAHoldUpDuringCOVID-19?PandemicTeststheLaw'sResilience LawmakersdesignedESSAtolimitmandatescoveringissueslikehowtestsareused.Willthataffecthowwellthelawsurvivesthepandemic? AndrewUjifusa • 6minread Remove Savetofavorites LoadMore▼ SignUp&SignIn Createafreeaccounttosaveyourfavoritearticles,followimportanttopics,signupforemailnewsletters,andmore. CreateAccount