1. ESSA: The Challenges and Opportunities JARED BILLINGS PROGRAM DIRECTOR EDUCATION DIVISION

2. National Governors Association NGA: Center for Best Practices  Develops innovative solutions to today's most pressing public policy challenges and is the only research and development firm that directly serves the nation's governors

3. National Governors Association What makes “good policy”

4. National Governors Association ESSA Overview

5. National Governors Association The Pendulum of Education Policy STATESFEDERAL Evolution of the Federal Role

6. National Governors Association State Authority

7. National Governors Association Accountability in ESSA ESSA Academic Achievement Measure of Student Growth or Other Reliable Measure English Language Proficiency Graduation Rate School Quality  State must create accountability system with long-term goals, interim progress measures, & annual state/district report cards  State must make annual determinations of student & school performance – for all students and subgroups (no super subgroups)

8. National Governors Association What will the Department Do?  Guidance and Dear Colleague Letters  Peer Review  Public Input  Notice of Proposed Rulemaking  Areas to Watch  Accountability  School Improvement  Assessment

9. National Governors Association Mar. 2016 Negotiated Rulemaking NPRM Development* Spring 2016 Aug. 2016 NCLB Waivers Expire SY ‘16 – ‘17 Oct. 2016 Competitive Grants in Effect ESSA Enacted Initial Comments & Guidance Dec. 2015 Jan. 2016 Transition Year Begins NPRM Released* Summer 2016 Existing State Plans Expire Aug. 2016 Timeline ESSA Part I

10. National Governors Association Dec. 2016 Final Regulation Released* State Legislative Session* Jan. 2017 New President & Secretary Fall 2017 Sep. 2017 Accountability in Effect State Policy Development State Plan Development* Fall 2016 States Roll Out New Systems States Submit Plans* Summer 2017 Governor Finalizes Plans* Spring 2017 Timeline ESSA Part II

11. National Governors Association Three Big Opportunities  Alignment Across the Entire Pipeline  Teachers and Principals  State Innovation

12. National Governors Association Alignment Across the Entire Pipeline  Standards aligned with credit bearing coursework in higher education and relevant career and technical education standards  States must set “challenging state academic standards” in math, language arts and science. State may set standards in other subjects

13. National Governors Association

14. Alignment Across the Entire Pipeline  Preschool Development Grants for governors  Early childhood education transitions to K-12  Early childhood educator development  Early Education & English language learners  State education goals aligned with workforce development plan and state career and technical education initiatives  Career and guidance counseling programs  Industry-recognized credentials  State plan alignment with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

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16. Governor’s Role- Alignment  ESSA creates a role for governors in federal education policy by including provisions to:  Require state education agencies to develop the state plan with governors;  Require opportunity for gubernatorial sign off on the ESSA state plan.

17. National Governors Association Teachers and Principals  Eliminates federal requirement for educator evaluation systems with indicators prescribed by the U.S. Secretary of Education  Title II- continues to support efforts to enhance teacher and principal quality

18. National Governors Association Teachers and Principals  Opportunity to strengthen the development and support of effective principals (optional 3% set-aside to enhance school leaders)  Teacher Preparation Academies

19. National Governors Association Now that ESSA is law, states should not ask the U.S. Department of Education what to do next. They should ask themselves.

20. National Governors Association State Innovation There is opportunity to move the field forward in support of:  Personalized learning models and competency- based education systems, and  Richer, more meaningful evidence of learning.  Technology will be a game changer

21. National Governors Association Innovative Assessment Pilot  May introduce multiple measures to form an index  combine interim, performance-based assessments, computer-based assessments, interim and summative  Ensures rigor, quality, validity  When students are ready to demonstrate mastery  May be used for accountability purposes  Will they approve seven states?

22. National Governors Association What is next?

23. National Governors Association School Improvement  Comprehensive Support and Improvement:  Lowest-performing 5% of Title I schools;  High schools with <67% graduation rates; and  Schools with underperforming subgroups  Targeted Support and Improvement:  Schools with consistently underperforming subgroups  Choose your own “evidence based” school improvement strategy  State and Local Resources:  7% Title I set-aside  Optional local 3% Title I set-aside

24. National Governors Association High-Stakes Testing Tests AYP One-Size Fits-All Assess. State & Local Testing Layers One Federal Measure Label and Punish One Federal Goal No Child Left Behind

25. National Governors Association Flexible Assessment in ESSA Annual Tests Mixed Delivery 95% Particip. Rate Innovative Assessment HS Exam Substitute Testing Reduction Resources Multiple Measures State School Ratings State Goals

26. National Governors Association Two Big Challenges  How far will the pendulum swing- party like its 1999?  Change is hard  2016-2017 school year  Flexibility- can be good or bad  Political realities of more state autonomy

27. National Governors Association Table Discussion  As states begin to explore the flexibility of ESSA what big opportunities do you see in your state?  Big challenges/concerns?

28. National Governors Association One Big Question  What will we learn from the past- how will we work to improve education for all students?