ESEA : Flexibility instead of Reauthorization

1. ESEA: Flexibility instead of Reauthorization New Jersey Association of Federal Program Administrators September 11, 2014

2. Reauthorization status • Earliest-2017 • Efforts to date • June 2013: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) presents Strengthening America’s Schools Act of 2013 • Increased focus on early childhood education • Equity focus • Support for flexibility • Support for great teachers and leaders http://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ESEA%20Summary%206.4.13.pdf

3. Reauthorization status • Efforts to date • July 2013: House Education and Workforce Committee approves Student Success Act • Four pillars: • Reducing Federal Footprint • Supporting Effective Teachers • Empowering Parents • Restoring Local Control http://edworkforce.house.gov/studentsuccessact/

4. Reauthorization status • Efforts to date • July 2014: Discussion Draft from House Budget Committee: Expanding Opportunity in America • Title I converted to block grant (must serve low-income) • Funds follow children to school of choice • Performance assessments continue • Report cards continue http://budget.house.gov/uploadedfiles/expanding_opportunity_in_america.pdf

5. Reauthorization status • Areas of Conflict • Federalism: federal vs. state • Focus: flexibility vs. specific groups • Cost vs. Effectiveness • Under Discussion • Linkages: Title I/IDEA: Title I/IDEA/Head Start • Obama Administration’s Response • Executive action via waivers

6. ESEA Flexibility Waivers • Why: • Support states’ efforts to improve instructional quality and academic achievement • When • States invited to apply in 2011 • Effective for 2012-2013 • Two year approval period (2012-2013 and 2013-2014)

7. ESEA Flexibility Waivers • What • Curriculum • Student achievement • Teacher evaluation • Who • 43 states with waivers • 5 states without waivers (CA, MT, ND, NE, VT) • 3 states/jurisdictions under review (BIE, WY, IA)

8. ESEA Flexibility waivers • November 2013: States invited to apply for one-year renewal of waiver • Covers 2014-2015 school year • Renewal Application • Must articulate changes from initial waiver application • Must respond to ESEA Flexibility Monitoring findings • More intense review than initial applications • 21 states approved between July 2014-September 2014

9. Esea flexibility waivers New Jersey’s Flexibility Extension Request • Incorporated responses to USDE’s findings from ESEA Flexibility Waiver monitoring (July 2013) • Findings: • Principle 2: Develop and Implement a State-Based System of Differentiated Recognition, Accountability, and Support • Priority Schools • Focus Schools • Other Title I Schools

10. Esea flexibility waivers Status of New Jersey’s Flexibility Extension Request In Progress • Pending Issues • Accountability Addendum: Includes graduation rate targets and goal • Interventions for subgroups not meeting graduation rate of 75% or 60% • Other Title I Schools: Level of NJDOE interventions for schools not meeting their progress targets

11. ESEA flexibility waivers New Jersey’s Status for 2014-2015 • Continue implementation of initial flexibility waiver • 2014 School and District Progress Targets released end of September/early October • More schools not meeting annual progress targets • First increase in graduation rate target (75%  78%)

12. ESEA: Flexibility instead of Reauthorization New Jersey Department of Education Office of Supplemental Educational Programs titleone@doe.state.nj.us • Title I, Part A: Improving The Academic Achievement Of The Disadvantaged • N.J.A.C. 6A:15: Bilingual Education • Title III: Language Instruction For Limited English Proficient Students And Immigrant Students • N.J.A.C: 6A:17: Education Of Homeless Children • Title X, Part C: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Program • Title I, Part C: Education of Migratory Children