www.inacol.org

The Every Student Succeeds Act: How Will the New Federal K-12

Education Law Support Personalized Learning?

Wednesday, December 16, 20153:00 PM ET

Upcoming iNACOL EventsTeacher Talk Webinar: 2015 iNACOL Teacher of the Year Paula BarrDec. 17, 6:00 pm Eastern

Conference on Blended and Online Learning (CBOL)Feb. 18-19, Denver, CO, co-hosted with eLearn Collaborative

Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personalized Learning (MACPL)Feb. 29-Mar. 2, Baltimore, MD, co-hosted with Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU)

http://www.inacol.org/events/

Webinar Presenters

Aisha WoodwardLegislative AssistantUS Senator Angus King (I-ME)

Maria WorthenVP, Federal & State PolicyiNACOL

Today, we will discuss:

• Historical context for the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act)

• What’s in the new law and what does it mean for personalized, competency based learning?

• Answer your questions about ESSA (submit them at any time in the chat)

50 Years Ago…

ESEA signed into law by President Johnson on April 11, 1965War on Poverty

–Great Society (poverty, racial inequality; Civil Rights Act of 1964)–Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 (Head Start, Job Corps)–Social Security Amendments of 1965 (Medicaid, Medicare)

Recent Reauthorizations1981: Education Consolidation and Improvement Act

-collapsed over 30 smaller categorical programs into block grants to states-cut federal education budget by approximately 15% ($1 billion+) in first year (1982-1983); called for larger cuts for the future. Shift responsibility to state and local government (cutting federal budget deficit)

1994: Improving America’s Schools Act (IASA)-increased aid to schools serving students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, bilingual/immigrant populations-charter school funding (Title X—Programs of National Significance)-provided aid to states implemented standards-based reforms at state and local levels

2001: No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)-most recent reauthorization (signed into law January 2002)-Bush, Kennedy, Boehner, Gregg, Miller

-Top domestic priority, pre-September 11

No Child Left Behind

• Standards-based reform initiatives• Adequate Yearly Progress• Annual, summative assessments with high-stakes

accountability• Subgroups • Highly-qualified teachers (HQT)• Curricula, methods—scientifically-based research• Military recruitment• 100 percent student proficiency by 2014

ESEA Reauthorization: Context

• NCLB (2001) expired in 2007• Reauthorization attempts: 2007, 2011,

2013, 2015• Outdated accountability & assessment

system– barrier to personalized, competency based learning

• Race to the Top, Common Core-aligned assessments, Waivers

iNACOL Federal Policy Frameworks

Federal Frameworks 2015

1. Redesign assessment around student-centered learning2. Rethink accountability for continuous improvement of

next generation learning models3. Modernize educator and leadership development4. Make personalized learning a cross-cutting grant priority5. Protect student data privacy and security6. Invest in new learning models research and development7. Build robust technology infrastructure and improve

broadband8. Support the development and use of Open Educational

Resources

K-12 Federal Policy Framework for Competency Education

Every Student Succeeds Act signed into law: December 10, 2015

“With this bill, we reaffirm that fundamental American ideal that every child, regardless of race, income, background, the zip code where they live, deserves the chance to make out of their lives what they will.”

- President Barack ObamaEvery Student Succeeds Act Signing Ceremony

12/10/15

ESSA: Key differences from NCLB

• Less federal waiver and regulatory authority, more flexibility for states

• Maintains annual assessments in grades 3-8, once in HS in Math and Reading/ELA

• Moves away from high stakes accountability

ESSA: Key differences

• Greater flexibility for states on assessments:– Growth measures– Adaptive assessments– Multiple measures– Innovative Assessment Pilot

• Greater flexibility for states on accountability• “Highly Qualified Teacher” and “Adequate Yearly

Progress” are no more• Flexible funding for personalized learning and

education technology

Innovative Assessment Pilot• The need

– States need clear path forward for approval of system of assessments that aligns/supports CBE (see: NH PACE Waiver)

– Varying state approaches– need to ensure quality, rigor, and validity

• Innovation, not evasion– Testing and piloting innovative strategies

before scale up

Innovative Assessment Pilot• May combine summative, interim,

formative, performance-based assessments

• May validate when students are ready to demonstrate mastery

• Ensures rigor, quality, validity• May be used for accountability purposes

Innovative Assessments and ESSA: Building Momentum in the Senate

Aisha Woodward, Legislative Assistant to Senator Angus King

Title IV: Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants

• $1.6 billion annually through 2020• 95% grants to districts• Funds can be used for:

– School health and safety (at least 20%)– School counseling– Expanding access to a well-rounded education (at

least 20%)– Education technology

• Remaining 60% can be used for any of the above purposes

Education Technology Funds

• Can be used for professional development• No more than 15% of funds may be used

for technology infrastructure• Also: support for OER and data privacy

PD

Digital Learning Resources Study

• Directs the Institute for Education Sciences to study the educational impact of students’ out-of-school access to digital learning resources.

Q&A

• Please leave your questions in the chat.

iNACOL Center for Policy Advocacy

• Maria Worthen, VP for Federal & State Policy – mworthen@inacol.org

• Dale Frost, State Policy Director – dfrost@inacol.org

• Susan Gentz, State Policy Associate – sgentz@inacol.org