Did Betsy DeVos just ask states to ignore part of federal education law?
Did Education Secretary Betsy DeVos just ask states to ignore a part of the K-12 federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act?
Let’s look at what she said — and what the law says — about whom state officials should consult as they draw up ESSA accountability plans to be submitted to the Education Department for approval. These plans are supposed to show how states will establish student performance goals and create a system to hold schools “accountable” for student progress.
The ESSA says that state education agencies (SEAs), when developing their accountability plans, must consult with outside stakeholders, including teachers, principals, parents, administrators and others. Language in the law says:
That language makes clear that outside stakeholders are to be included in the process, a requirement outlined in regulations released by former president Barack Obama’s Education Department in November. Congress recently voted to throw out all of the Obama administration’s ESSA regulations.
On Monday, the Education Department issued different language in a new “template” that states can use to create their ESSA accountability plans. It has far fewer requirements than the Obama administration’s template by design; DeVos has said power should be with the states to decide how to run their schools. The new template says states must consult only with one party: the governor.
The new template says:
In its consolidated State plan, each SEA may, but is not required to, include supplemental information such as its overall vision for improving outcomes for all students and its efforts to consult with and engage stakeholders when developing its consolidated State plan.
The department also released a list of frequently asked questions and answers about the new Did Betsy DeVos just ask states to ignore part of federal education law? - The Washington Post: