What is the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)?
It’s nearly a year since former President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for schools in the United States. The act reinforces the country’s education law to provide equal educational opportunity for all students. This means every student from any race, background, or language has the right to education.
With this act passed, Americans hope the student dropout rates will be at a historic low. More students will be going to school and even more students should be going to college than ever before. This initiative is a cumulative effort from parents, teachers, and educators from all over the United States.
This act is set to go into action in the 2017-18 terms.
The law clearly calls for accountability both from the students and the educators.
- Plans: The accountability plan needs to be made public.
- Goals: Whether it is setting a number for graduation rates or proficiency on tests, schools and colleges need to set goals for the year.
- Indicators: Schools and colleges have to set up indicators most suitable for students.
- Low performing schools: Every three years, low performing schools are to be identified by state. The indicator rate for overall school performance is 67 percent or less. Each school needs to focus on the bottom 5 percent of low performing students.
- State Intervention: The low performing schools will be looked into and if need be, dealt with by the state as well. The principal could be fired for low performance of the school. Teachers will get special training to deal with low performing students.
- Testing: Tests for reading and math are mandatory from grades 3 on.
The ESSA focuses on a plethora of plans and activities for the accountability of students and schools alike. This law hopes to encourage students and improve the quality of teachers as well.