Indiana Department of Education publishes plan for Every Student Succeeds Act

ESSA was signed into law in December 2015 as the update to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. ESSA replaces the previous update to the law, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

While ESSA mirrors NCLB in that ESSA holds states accountable for high standards, maintains state accountability systems, requires annual tests in grades 3-8 and in high school, and sustains support for struggling schools and development of teachers, ESSA also allows for more state input and direction. Through ESSA, states can determine how they want to reach each of these policy goals, and have more local control in crafting their approach.

Over the past seven months, IDOE has solicited input from educators, administrators, parents, community members, and local leaders. The input and recommendations gathered helped IDOE draft its plan to meet ESSA requirements. In line with the process of developing ESSA for Indiana, the plan was delivered to the Governor’s office today where he and his staff will have 30 days to review and edit before it is submitted to the United States Department of Education on Sept. 18.