A New Education Law
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015, and represents good news for our nation’s schools. This bipartisan measure reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students.
The new law builds on key areas of progress in recent years, made possible by the efforts of educators, communities, parents, and students across the country.
For example, today, high school graduation rates are at all-time highs. Dropout rates are at historic lows. And more students are going to college than ever before. These achievements provide a firm foundation for further work to expand educational opportunity and improve student outcomes under ESSA.
The previous version of the law, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, was enacted in 2002. NCLB represented a significant step forward for our nation’s children in many respects, particularly as it shined a light on where students were making progress and where they needed additional support, regardless of race, income, zip code, disability, home language, or background. The law was scheduled for revision in 2007, and, over time, NCLB’s prescriptive requirements became increasingly unworkable for schools and educators. Recognizing this fact, in 2010, the Obama administration joined a call from educators and families to create a better law that focused on the clear goal of fully preparing all students for success in college and careers.
Congress has now responded to that call.
The Every Student Succeeds Act reflects many of the priorities of this administration.
Resources
- ESSA State Plan Notice of Intent
- ESSA State Plan Call for Peer Reviewers
- Dear Colleague Letter on ESSA Transition Technical Assistance and Resources (August 5, 2016)
- Dear Colleague Letter on Stakeholder Engagement (June 22, 2016)
- White House Fact Sheet on House Passage of ESSA
- Read excerpts from U.S. Secretary Arne Duncan's remarks on ESSA
- Read the Every Student Succeeds Act
- Sign up for news about ESSA
- Sign up for email updates about ESSA
- Send questions to essa.questions@ed.gov.
- ESSA technical assistance resources
Final Regulations
- Final Regulation: Assessments (December 7, 2016)
- Notice of Final Regulation: Title I, Part A
- Notice of Final essa: Title I, Part B
- Fact Sheet for Final Regulations: Title I, Part A and Part B
- Presentation: Assessment Regulations - Title I, Parts A and B (January 11, 2017)
- Final Regulation: Accountability, State Plans, and Data Reporting (November 28, 2016)
- Fact Sheet
- Timeline for identification of schools for support and improvement
- Press release
- Consolidated State Plan information
- Consolidated State Plan template
- Assurances template – Due April 3, 2017
- Dear Colleague Letter on ESSA State Plans (November 29, 2016)
- Presentation: Overview of Accountability, Data Reporting, and State Plan NFR (December 8, 2016)
- Guidance Documents
- ESSA Consolidated State Plan Guidance (January 6, 2017)
- ESSA State and Local Report Cards Guidance (January 6, 2017)
- ESSA High School Graduation Rate Guidance (January 6, 2017)
Proposed Regulations
- Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Supplement, Not Supplant under Title I
- Fact Sheet for Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Supplement, Not Supplant under Title I
- Supplement, Not Supplant Overview: Powerpoint | Audio (September 14, 2016)
Guidance and Regulatory Information
ESSA Transition FAQs, Webinars, and Dear Colleague Letters
- ESSA Fiscal Changes & Equitable Services Guidance (November 21, 2016)
- ESSA Title IV, Part A Guidance – Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (October 21, 2016)
- ESSA Early Learning Guidance (October 20, 2016)
- Non-Regulatory Guidance: Title II, Part A October 13, 2016
- ESSA Webinar Audio Recording (October 13, 2016)
- Non-Regulatory Guidance: English Learners and Title III Program October 5, 2016
- ESSA Webinar Audio Recording (October 5, 2016)
- ESSA Schoolwide Guidance (September 29, 2016)
- ESSA Dear Colleague Letter on Tribal Consultation (September 26, 2016)
- Evidence Guidance (September 16, 2016)
- ESSA Transition FAQs (June 29, 2016)
- ESSA Dear Colleague Letter (January 28, 2016)
- ESSA Webinar Powerpoint (December 22, 2015)
- ESSA Webinar Audio Recording (December 22, 2016)
- Dear Colleague Letter on the Transition to ESSA (December 18, 2015)
- Dear Colleague Letter on the New ESSA Law (December 10, 2015)
Title II, Part A
- ESSA Title II, Part A Guidance – Supporting Educators (September 27, 2016)
Title III, Part A
- ESSA Title III Guidance – English Learners (September 23, 2016)
Children in Foster Care
- Dear Colleague Letter on Implementation of Educational Stability Requirements (December 5, 2016)
- Effective Collaboration Webinar PowerPoint (September 7, 2016)
- Collaboration Webinar Audio Recording (September 7, 2016)
- Transportation Procedures Webinar PowerPoint (August 31, 2016)
- Transportation Webinar Audio Recording (August 31, 2016)
- Best Interest Determinations and Immediate Enrollment PowerPoint Presentation (August 24, 2016)
- Education and Child Welfare Points of Contact Webinar PowerPoint (August 17, 2016)
- Points of Contact Webinar Audio Recording (August 17, 2016)
- An Overview of the ED/HHS Joint Guidance PowerPoint Presentation (July 27, 2016)
- Overview Webinar Audio Recording (July 27, 2016)
- Foster Care Guidance (June 23, 2016)
- Dear Colleague Letter on Foster Care Guidance (June 23, 2016)
- Dear Colleague Letter on Foster Care Timelines (June 23, 2016)
Education for Homeless Children and Youth
- Homeless Student Guidance (July 27, 2016)
- Homeless Student Guidance Fact Sheet (July 27, 2016)
- Homeless Student Notice of Rights and Protections (July 27, 2016)
Technical Assistance
- Click here to find additional technical assistance tools, resources, and information to support ESSA implementation.
Public Notice
ESSA Regional Public Meetings:
All public hearings were held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time.
University of California Los Angeles, Carnesale Commons: (January 19, 2016)
U.S. Department of Education:(January 11, 2016)
Negotiated Rulemaking
- Title I, Part A assessments – Final Consensus-Based Regulatory Language (April 19, 2016)
- Draft Organizational Protocols for the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee (March 17, 2016)
- List of Non-Federal Negotiators (March 4, 2016)
- Sessions 1 Materials (March 21-23, 2016)
- Sessions 2 Materials (April 6-8, 2016)
- Sessions 3 Materials (April 18-19, 2016)
- Negotiator Nomination FAQs (February 22, 2016)
- Rulemaking Webinar / Audio (February 17, 2016)
- Federal Register Notice (February 4, 2016)
- FAQs (February 3, 2016)
Other Links