ESSA went into effect across the country during the 2017-18 academic year. It’s now in place and drives how school districts manage their programs and budgets. Under ESSA, states have a lot of leeway in several areas. As in the past, under the No Child Left Behind Act, states still have to prepare and present accountability plans and set accountability goals. However, now the goals have to address three major areas: proficiency on tests, English-language proficiency, and graduation rates. On top of these goals, there also needs to be an expectation that gaps in achievement and graduation rates must be closed, especially for those who are behind academically.

Before a state’s plan can be put into effect, the plans have to be approved by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). States have been working hard to get their plans completed and approved. As of June of 2018, 44 states, including the District of Columbia, have had their plans approved by DOE. The other six states’ plans are currently under federal review.

For English-language learners (ELLs), there are some specific accountability measures that schools have to take into account under ESSA. First off, the new accountability for ELLs moves from Title III (the English-language acquisition section of the original 1965 Elementary and Secondary Act) to Title I. The stated goal of the law is to make accountability for ELL students a top priority.

Other new highlights of ESSA include a stand-alone program for parent engagement. Under ESSA, Title I parent and family engagement (formerly termed parent involvement) now means that school districts will receive funds under this specific part of the law only if the district “conducts outreach to all (the law’s emphasis) parents and family members…”

As before, a school district still has to implement programs, activities, and procedures to involve the district’s parents and families in Title I program plans.  The districts also have to consult in a meaningful way with the parents of participating children. In other words, each school district that receives Title I funds must have a written parent and family engagement policy that is developed, agreed upon, and distributed to their parents and family members. The parent engagement policy shall (this is the law’s emphasis) be incorporated into the district’s overall accountability plan.

An interesting part of the law is how the funds are reserved and dispersed under Title I for parent and family engagement. At minimum, 1% of a district’s Title I funds need to be reserved for parent and family engagement activities for least one of the following: professional development, which may be provided jointly to teachers, principals, and other school leaders, specialized instructional support personnel, paraprofessionals, early childhood educators, and parents and family members; home-based programs; disseminating information; collaborating with community-based organizations; and other activities consistent with the parent and family engagement plan of the district.