Secretary DeVos Announces Approval of Connecticut and Louisiana’s ESSA Plans
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today
announced the approval of Connecticut and Louisiana’s respective consolidated
state plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“In reviewing both of these plans, I was glad to see that
each state took the opportunity to embrace the flexibility afforded under ESSA
while complying with the statute of the law,” said Secretary DeVos. “I want to
thank the governors, chief state school officers, state board members and all
others who helped craft these plans, and I look forward to working with each of them
to improve education for all students.”
Allowing states more flexibility in how they deliver
education to students is at the core of ESSA. Each state crafted a plan that it
feels will best offer educational opportunities to meet the needs of the state
and its students. The following are some of the unique elements from each
state's approved plan as highlighted by that state:
Connecticut
- Establishes the same goal for all subgroups of
students in the State, regardless of their starting points, to close gaps in
performance.
- Plans to monitor comprehensive support and
targeted support schools on 12 indicators of progress, including the long-term
goals outlined in the state’s plan.
- Implements a robust accountability system that
includes several measures of School Quality, including preparation for college-
and career-ready coursework and exams, postsecondary entrance rates and access
to arts education.
Louisiana
- Raises fundamental expectations for what it
means to earn an "A" for schools in Louisiana: by 2025, students in
A-rated schools will demonstrate full proficiency of literacy and math skills,
a 90 percent graduation rate, and an ACT score of 21.
- Continues its long-standing practice of requiring
LEAs to offer public school choice to students in schools that are given an F
under its A-F school rating system, which includes requirements to notify
parents of options and to consider parents’ preferences about schools of
choice.
- Commits
long-term state funding for a cadre of statewide mentors to oversee the
development of aspiring teachers engaged in a yearlong residency.
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