ESEA Reauthorization and Waivers AFT Teachers PPC Meeting March 13, 2012 New York, NY

ESEA – Harkin Bill Passed out of committee on a “Bipartisan” vote of 15 to 7 last October. ESEA Reauthorization Act of 2011 Maintains targeted funding for children with the greatest need and disaggregation of data for subgroups. Does away with the current AYP system and the 2014 deadline. Limits prescriptive federal accountability measures to only the lowest 5% of schools. Leaves it up to states to address how other struggling schools will be held accountable. 2

ESEA – Harkin Bill (continued) Criticized by the civil rights community on approach to accountability. States required to adopt college and career ready standards and assessments TEVAL is optional and NOT mandatory. Set aside for SES and choice eliminated. Some improvements to the current SIG models. Includes new language on Mutual Consent. Prospects for reaching the Senate floor this year. 3

ESEA – Kline Bills House Committee passed the following two partisan bills on a party-lines Vote (2/28/12): Student Success Act (H.R. 3989) States not required to implement Common Core. Eliminates 100% proficiency & current AYP. Retains disaggregation of subgroup data. Continues testing in math and reading but no longer require states to test students in science. Allows states to craft their own accountability systems. 4

ESEA – Kline Bills (cont.) Student Success Act (H.R. 3989) – (continued) State & local governments free from MOE requirements. Eliminates 4 SIG models. Allows Redirection of funds currently targeted for specific populations of students. Includes set-aside for P.S. Choice and SES. 5

ESEA – Kline Bills Encouraging Innovation & Effective Teachers Act (H.R. 3990) Places accountability solely on the backs of teachers. Mandates states and LEAs to craft TEVAL systems tied to test scores. Does not require TEVAL results to inform PD. Prioritizes use of TEVAL results for personnel decisions. Limits use of Title II funds for class size (10 %). Lacks language to protect CBAs. Prospects for future action in the House. 6

ESEA Waivers States that have been approved: Colorado Florida Georgia Indiana Kentucky Massachusetts Minnesota New Jersey New Mexico Oklahoma Tennessee 7

ESEA Waivers States that applied on February 28: Arkansas Arizona Connecticut Delaware Iowa Idaho Illinois Kansas Louisiana Maryland Michigan Missouri Mississippi North Carolina Nevada New York Ohio Oregon Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Wisconsin D.C. 8

ESEA Waivers Third deadline in September Unclear what these states remaining states will do: Alabama Alaska California Hawaii Maine Montana Nebraska New Hampshire North Dakota Pennsylvania Texas West Virginia Wyoming 9

ESEA Waivers The process in Round 1 and 2. Round 3 offer: States can apply for a one year freeze on their AYP targets in exchange for a promise to: –Apply in round 3; –adopt college- and career-ready standards; –link teacher, principal, and student achievement data and provide that information to educators to improve their practice; and –identify achievement and graduation rate gaps that need to be closed. 10

ESEA Waivers Not a waiver, an exchange Don’t have to adhere to these NCLB requirements: –100% proficiency by 2014 –School improvement requirements (supplemental education services, choice, corrective action, and restructuring) –And more 11

ESEA Waivers Do have to promise three main things: 1.State will adopt and implement college and career ready standards and corresponding assessments 2.State will have its own system of accountability to replace AYP Must include progress Must include graduation rates Can include subjects or measures other than reading and math. Must identify the lowest 5% of Title I schools as priority schools, and an additional 10% as focus schools. 12

ESEA Waivers 3. State must adopt and implement teacher and principal evaluations Differentiate performance using at least three levels Use for continuous improvement of instruction Use to inform personnel decisions Use to provide feedback Use as a significant factor data on student growth and other measures of professional practice (Student growth is the change in achievement for individual students between two points in time. Student achievement is defined as NCLB-required assessments when available, and other assessments of student learning when not available.) 13

ESEA Waivers: What’s Inside Each state promises to roll out common standards and assessments. Each state accountability system looks different from the others. Accountability systems are more robust. Each state identifies a bottom 5 percent of schools. Significant overlap between bottom 5 percent of schools and SIG schools. Every state promises to implement a teacher evaluation system. 14

ESEA Waivers Where to get involved? –Rollout of standards and assessments –Improvement plans for the identified “Priority Schools,” and interventions for the “Focus Schools” –Development, piloting and implementation of teacher evaluation systems 15

Questions & Discussion 16