Every Student Succeeds Act Plans

Update: I had forgotten about this great article from Rick Hess about ESSA.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve never forgotten the TPS reports from Office Space.

What made them so memorable was how true-to-life they felt. Management’s quasi-religious belief in the power of this paperwork and the importance accorded to the reports . . . yep, we’ve all been there. And, if you’ve spent much time around schooling, you’ve been there time and again.

end of update

From OSPI:

Your chance to provide comments on Washington’s state education plan begins today, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal announced.

The 30-day comment period will end on Sept. 5.
The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) passed in December 2015. The law requires every state to submit a Consolidated Plan to the U.S. Department of Education. Superintendent Reykdal will submit Washington’s plan on Sept. 18.

"I want to thank everyone who worked on the Plan, from the experts who worked in 13 workgroups to those who provided comments during the public comment period to those who provided comments during OSPI’s regional forums or our public webinars," said Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chris Reykdal.

In part, the plan details how school and district success will be measured and accounted for, as well as how the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) will support success. It also addresses opportunity gaps in the education system.

The nine core concepts that lay the foundation for the plan are:
Title I, Part A: Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies
Title I, Part C: Education of Migratory Children
Title I, Part D: Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk
Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction
Title III, Part A: English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement
Title IV, Part A: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
Title IV, Part B: 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Title V, Part B, Subpart 2: Rural and Low-Income School Program
Title VII, Subpart B of the McKinney Vento-Homeless Assistance Act: Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program

During the first comment period in 2017, OSPI received comments from educators, parents, community organizations, and legislators. That feedback helped shape the current draft, and this is another opportunity for the public to mold Washington state’s education accountability system.

Those wishing to learn more about the plan can do so at one of five webinars planned throughout August. Sign up to attend the webinars on OSPI’s ESSA website.

Resources:
ESSA Commentary Portal
Letter from the Superintendent: ESSA Revised Plan
Washington's ESSA Revised Consolidated Plan

Other notable ESSA updates:

From Fordham:

Among these is the opportunity to apply for the Innovative Assessment Pilot (IAP).

IAP is a provision that permits states to pilot an innovative assessment system in place of a statewide achievement test. “Innovative” is an umbrella term that covers a plethora of different testing options, including (but not limited to) competency-based, instructionally embedded, and performance-based assessments. Regardless of the assessment type chosen by a state, it must result in an annual, summative score for a student. Authority to participate in the pilot—known as “demonstration authority”—will be granted through an application process run by the secretary of education. No more than seven states will be allowed to participate in the pilot for a period of up to five years, with the option to apply for an additional two-year extension.

Apparently this got announced and then...crickets.  I applaud this idea but I cannot imagine all 50 states being able to pull this off and given an "innovative" assessment may give kids who need a different type of assessment, how fair is it to some kids to be given a chance at an "innovative" assessment versus what we have now?

States can opt to initially run the pilot in a subset of districts rather than statewide (proposed regulations also permit states to focus on a certain grade or a certain subject). However, the innovative assessment system must be scaled statewide by the end of the pilot period, and states must prove throughout the course of the pilot that there is a “high-quality” transition plan for statewide implementation in place.  

The requirements for statewide scalability and inclusion in the statewide accountability system might be two serious deterrents for states that were only halfheartedly considering an application. The fact that there may not be any federal funding to help states implement the pilot is another drawback. And for those brave remaining states that are still interested, the extensive application process could change their thinking.

From Education Week:

Acting Assistant Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education Jason Botel may not hold that title much longer, sources say. Botel, who was named to his post in April, may take on another role within the administration or leave altogether.

Botel, a former charter school principal and state advocate, has been the administration's point person on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, in the office that oversees key federal K-12 programs.

The DoE reports 17 states have submitted ESSA plans.