EXCLUSIVE: The Federal Role and ESSA: Part 8
EXCLUSIVE: Lamar Alexander’s Staff Explains ESSA: PART 1 | Diane Ravitch's blog http://bit.ly/1QlmO8K
EXCLUSIVE: Senator Alexander’s Staff: ESSA and Teacher Evaluation, Part 2 | Diane Ravitch's blog http://bit.ly/1RzT9Kj
EXCLUSIVE: What Does ESSA Say About Bottom 5% of Schools: Part 3 | Diane Ravitch's blog http://bit.ly/1SzGMOp
Big Education Ape: EXCLUSIVE: How Does ESSA Affect Opt Outs? Part 4 | Diane Ravitch's blog http://bit.ly/23jA1V1
Big Education Ape: EXCLUSIVE: ESSA and Special Education: Part 5 | Diane Ravitch's blog http://bit.ly/1RFlWwU
Big Education Ape: EXCLUSIVE: How Does ESSA Affect Teacher Education? Part 6 | Diane Ravitch's blog http://bit.ly/1RH715n
Big Education Ape: EXCLUSIVE: ESSA and Charter Schools: Part 7 | Diane Ravitch's blog http://bit.ly/1Tk0ld7
This is the eighth in a series of exchanges about the new federal law, the Every Student Succeeds Act. I asked the questions, and David P. Cleary, chief if staff to Senator Lamar Alexander, answered them.
What is the role of the federal Department of Education and the Secretary in the new ESSA?
Short answer:
The role of the department under the new ESSA will be significantly scaled back from the role it has had under NCLB and the waivers. The Department still has a role in ensuring compliance with the law and monitoring state implementation of state plans, but the level of authority the Department has given itself over the past 14 years is significantly scaled back. But, it is important to remember that we are in a period of transition in moving to the new law, meaning the Department will have some authority from the old law and waivers that it can exercise until new state plans are in place.
Long Answer:
ESSA makes major changes in four areas: federal conditions on state accountability systems, peer review and secretarial approval of state plans, issuing regulations, and review of waivers.
First, ESSA significantly scaled back the federal footprint in the law by eliminating the original goal of all students being ‘proficient’ by 2013-2014, the Adequate Yearly Progress requirements, and the cascading sanctions that would go into effect of a school failed to meet state goals.
Second, the new law made significant changes to the peer review process and secretarial approval of state plans. Over the past 14 years, there has been too much secrecy about the approval process of state plans, and too much interference by the Department in reviewing and approving state plans. It is the role of the Department to determine whether the state plan meets the letter of the law—not whether the plans are ambitious or aggressive or exciting enough, or if the Secretary likes the state plan.
To take a couple examples: a state must show that it has an accountability system that will measure student achievement in all EXCLUSIVE: The Federal Role and ESSA: Part 8 | Diane Ravitch's blog: