ESP Spotlight

Brief: School Reforms That Work

Information about Professional Development, Early Childhood Education, and other school reform programs that have proven effective.

ESEA - An Overview

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is not new legislation. It has been in existence since 1965 and is “re-authorized” by Congress every six years. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the 2001 version of ESEA or “ESEA ‘01”. The reauthorization process began in 2000 to update the previous version, ESEA ’94. While NCLB is touted by the administration as being revolutionary, many of the changes began in ESEA ’94.

ESEA - Standards

ESEA ’94 mandated the development of “academic standards” by the States. These standards are to be applied to all students and all schools in the state.

ESEA Accountability - Adequate Yearly Progress

In short, States are held accountable and are required to hold local education agencies (LEA’s) accountable for developing standards and putting systems in place to ensure that students are able to meet or exceed those standards. States and LEA’s are to prove they’ve done so by assessing the students. The “or else” comes in the form of sanctions against the state, districts (LEAs), and schools, however, the worst a State can be sanctioned is the loss of funds; schools, and their employees, can suffer worse fates. We have already discussed Standards and Assessments in separate briefing papers. The remaining major aspects of Accountability are discussed in individual papers as well. Again, the actual language of the law is extensive.

ESEA Accountability - Report Cards

Title I, Part A, Section 1111 of ESEA ‘01 requires that both the State and the Local Education Agency (LEA) must prepare an annual report card no later than the beginning of the SY 02-03.

ESEA Accountability - Sanctions

The language of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) is quite extensive. This document includes highlights of Title I, Part A, Section 1116.

ESEA Briefing - Assessments

Information on ESEA and highlights of the Title I provisions on assessments.