Every Student Succeeds

President Obama's 2015 Every Child Succeeds Act addresses the improvement of low-performing schools. The act identifies each state as responsible for improving their respective lowest performing schools.

History
On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student succeeds Act (ESSA). The ESSA revises President Lyndon B Johnson’s 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was a civil rights act providing funding for lower-income schools, special education centers, and scholarships for college students. George Bush’s 2002 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was the most updated version of ESEA prior to ESSA; however, many education workers deemed the requirements of NCLB “unworkable.”

Purpose of ESSA
ESSA focuses mainly on the improvement of low performing schools. The act requires states to identify the bottom 5% performing schools and/or high schools with a graduation rate less than 67%, and intervene where necessary. The state can help with funding, groups for struggling students, work with educators and more. The state also holds the right to intervene in the school system to make changes for example, firing and replacing faculty.

ESSA additionally requires that all states focus on setting their own goals in “closing the gap” between high and low scoring districts. While high school graduation rates are at an all time high in the United States, many districts still have relatively low graduation rates. ESSA was made in attempt to change allow the lower-scoring districts to eventually have graduation rates closer to districts with higher rates.

With the act, states can adapt to more flexible standards tho help each student succeed. Each state must create its own standards for academic achievement, and can use the Common Core as a guideline. However, with ESSA, the requirements of Common Core are not as strict. Yet, all states must hold schools up to a "challenging" academic standard.

In terms of testing, students are still required to be tested in reading proficiency from grades 3-8. However, schools are no longer allowed to sort students into "super sub-groups" (for example, students with learning disabilities, students living in poverty, etc.) Additionally, English Language Learners (ELLs) scores are accounted for differently. In the first year an ELL is in the school system, his or her scores are not accounted for in the assessment and ranking of the school. In the second year, the scores are partially accounted for. In the third year, the scores are treated like any other student.

Sources:

https://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/every-student-succeeds-act/index.html

https://www.ed.gov/essa