ESEA FLEXIBILITY: RENEWAL PROCESS November 20, 2014

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education TWO DOCUMENTS ESEA Flexibility Guidance for Renewal Process November 13, 2014 ESEA FLEXIBILITY Renewal Form [STATE NAME] November 13, 2014 OMB Number: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 16 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to retain the benefits of ESEA flexibility, offered to State educational agencies under section 9401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended, and voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, Washington, DC or and reference the OMB Control Number Note: Please do not return the completed ESEA Flexibility Renewal Request Form to this

3 APPROVED IN 41 STATES, D.C., & PUERTO RICO (43) ESEA FLEXIBILITY Approved Under review

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education ESEA FLEXIBILITY CORE CONCEPTS Protect all students Provide flexibility to move forward with reform Set a high bar for students and schools

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education ESEA FLEXIBILITY PRINCIPLES Principle 1: college- and career-ready expectations for students Principle 2: state-developed differentiated recognition, accountability, and support Principle 3: supporting effective instruction and leadership Principle 4: reducing duplication and unnecessary burden

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education LENGTH OF RENEWAL All SEAs in Windows 1, 2, 3 & 4 are invited to request a three-year renewal Window 1 and 2 SEAs fully meeting commitments to the timelines and principles of ESEA flexibility are eligible to request a four- year renewal – These states are also eligible to participate in an expedited review process

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education TIMELINE ActionDate Guidance and request form to StatesNovember 2014 Requests due from States eligible for expedited review January 30, 2015 On-site meeting for expedited States that submitted by January 30, 2015 Early March 2015 Renewal request decisions to expedited States March 30, 2015 Renewal requests due from remaining StatesMarch 31, 2015 Renewal requests granted or deniedEarly Summer 2015 Extension of ESEA flexibilityFall 2015 – Spring 2018 (three years variable )

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education OVERVIEW OF RENEWAL PROCESS SEA must update its currently approved ESEA flexibility request by providing in redline each of the following: – A description of how the SEA has met the consultation requirements (Section I) – A narrative response updating the SEA’s currently approved ESEA flexibility request to address each renewal requirement and describe continuous improvement efforts across all principles (Section II) – Any other amendments an SEA wishes to make and a rationale supporting each amendment (Section III) SEA must resolve outstanding issues relating to implementation of ESEA flexibility

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education FORMAT Request form Redlined request Renewal submission

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education WAIVERS SEA must renew request for each waiver SEA may request three optional waivers offered as part of the original ESEA flexibility process – 21 st CLCC – AYP – Within-district Title I allocations SEA may request either or both new optional waivers: – Use of 1003(a) funds in other Title I schools – Middle school mathematics double-testing flexibility

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education ASSURANCES Some assurances are updated to reflect the passage of time New assurances added related to Principle 3: – Option A: SEA on track to fully implementing Principle 3, including incorporating student growth based on State assessments into educator ratings for teachers of tested grades and subjects and principals Could be a State in Window 1, 2, 3, or 4 Not required to address Principle 3 renewal requirements – Option B: SEA administering new State assessments during the 2014  2015 school year requests one additional year to incorporate student growth based on these assessments Applies only to Windows 1 and 2 States Must mark both assurances 15.b.i and 15.b.ii Must include in redline request updates reflecting timeline – Option C: SEA requests modifications to guidelines or implementation timeline other than Option B. Must provide a narrative response in redlined request

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education CONSULTATION Consultation should begin immediately SEA must provide a description of how it meaningfully solicited input from stakeholders regarding: – implementation of ESEA flexibility; and – changes and additions in revised request

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education PRINCIPLE 1 SEA must update its request to describe how it will continue to: Ensure all students graduate from high school ready for college and a career, through implementation of college- and career-ready standards and high-quality aligned assessments (general, alternate, and English language proficiency) Support all students, including English Learners, students with disabilities, low-achieving students, and economically disadvantaged students, and teachers of those students

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education PRINCIPLE 2 – CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SEA must describe its process for continuous improvement of its systems and processes SEA should consider how it will use systematic strategies to analyze data and revise approaches to address implementation challenges in order to ensure that it and its LEAs are meeting the needs of all students

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education PRINCIPLE 2 – STATE-DEVELOPED SYSTEMS SEA must demonstrate that a school may not receive the highest rating in the SEA’s differentiated recognition, accountability, and support system if there are significant achievement or graduation rate gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education PRINCIPLE 2 – PRIORITY AND FOCUS SCHOOLS Updated timeline for implementation of interventions in priority and focus schools, including a process for identifying and increasing the rigor of interventions in any schools that do not exit priority or focus status SEA may submit revised lists of schools either with its request using most recent data available or by January 31, 2016 (using 2014  2015 data)

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education PRINCIPLE 2 – OTHER TITLE I SCHOOLS SEA must update its plan for providing incentives and supports to other Title I schools to include a clear and rigorous process for ensuring that LEAs provide interventions and supports for low-achieving students when one or more subgroups miss either AMOs or graduation rate targets or both over a number of years

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education PRINCIPLE 2 – BUILDING CAPACITY SEA must describe its statewide strategy to support and monitor LEA implementation of the State’s accountability system, including the SEA’s process for holding LEAs accountable for improving school and student performance

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education PRINCIPLE 3 An SEA that is on track to fully implement Principle 3, including incorporating student growth based on State assessments, only need check an assurance An SEA administering new State assessments during the 2014  2015 school year and requesting one additional year to incorporate growth based on those assessments only need check an assurance and update timelines in its request An SEA requesting additional modifications must describe: – The progress to date in implementing its systems; – The proposed change(s) and the SEA’s rationale for each change; and – The steps the SEA will take to ensure continuous improvement of its systems

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education EVALUATION Working with SEAs to evaluate and learn from different State and local approaches, including providing funding for such evaluations. Will share additional information on the process by which States can propose evaluations of innovative approaches to improving student achievement and increasing the quality of instruction.

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education FINAL NOTES Renewal FAQs and supporting webinars Equity Plans School Improvement Grants (SIG) Guidance Questions? More Questions: Contact ESEA flexibility state contact or