WASHINGTON: Consolidated Program Review
Public Notices & Waiver Requests to the U.S. Department of Education
Democrats Press Betsy DeVos for Details on Possible Education Department Cuts
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on February 28, 2017 12:13 PMThe top two Democratic lawmakers on education issues in Congress are asking for more details from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos about her stated plans to look for ways to trim the U.S. Department of Education.
In a Feb. 24 letter to DeVos, Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington express concerns about DeVos’ comments to a Michigan radio talk show earlier this month that she would be auditing the department’s programs, and that she was confident there were unnecessary programs at the department. Those comments, the two lawmakers say, “raise questions” about what DeVos hopes to accomplish by such a review. (Scott and Murray are the top Democrats on the House and Senate education committees, respectively.)
“In fact, previous department budget requests have noted that current staff levels fall significantly short, endangering the department’s capacity to fulfill and enforce legal obligations” in several areas, from civil rights protections to data security, the joint letter states…
Read the full article here. May require an Education Week subscription.
School boards applaud bills to address teacher shortages in rural and Native American community schools
February 28, 2017, Charlotte Blane
School districts across the country struggle to recruit and retain qualified teachers. In rural areas and American Indian and Alaska Native communities, adequately staffing schools, particularly in hard-to-fill positions such as Special Education and STEM fields, and providing professional development for the teachers they do have, is an immediate concern.
More than 9 million students are enrolled in rural public elementary and secondary schools, according to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. And more than 40 percent of all small, rural school districts in the country have serious difficulties filling vacant teaching positions. The number of unfilled teaching positions in schools serving Indian Country, some of the smallest and most isolated areas, has doubled over the last 10 years.
NSBA’s Center for Public Education’s recent report, Fixing the teacher shortage pipeline , finds that while the nation as a whole is awarding more teacher licenses, making progress on this issue lies in getting the right teachers with the right qualifications to where they are needed the most.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester, member and former Vice Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, proposes legislation that directly addresses the challenges faced by schools in rural and Indian communities. The Rural Educator Support and Training Act (REST Act S. 457), and the Native Education Support and Training Act (NEST Act S. 458), provide financial and instructional support via a scholarship-for-service program component for teachers in training who will serve in rural and Indian country districts; a loan repayment component for teachers currently serving in rural and Indian country districts; and a professional development/advanced credentialing component.
“Targeted and aggressive strategies are needed to ensure that all students receive a quality education where they live,” said Thomas J. Gentzel, Executive Director and CEO, National School Boards Association. “School boards applaud Senator Tester’s introduction of the REST and NEST Acts, and the significant opportunity they present for supporting student learning and strengthening schools in rural and Native American communities.”
Fixing the teacher shortage pipeline, and additional resources and information from the Center for Public Education are available on the Center’s website.
WASHINGTON: Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
What is ESSA and the Consolidated Plan?
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaced No Child Left Behind (NCLB) on December 10, 2015. It is the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). ESSA will be fully operational in school year 2017-18.
The ESSA Consolidated Plan draft is the planning document that outlines how Washington will implement the law. The plan outlines six core concepts in Washington’s plan to help every student succeed, and provides details on what we will do to ensure student and educator success.
- Long Term Goals and Measurement of Interim Progress looks at three key areas for students: academic achievement, graduation rate, and English language proficiency, and identifies the goals and steps necessary to achieve those goals.
- Consultation and Coordination describes how OSPI and other stakeholders, including the public, worked together to develop the Plan.
- Challenging Academic Standards and Academic Assessments illustrates the state education standards in mathematics, English language arts, and other disciplines. It shows the assessment systems used in Washington state and explains how our students will be career and college-ready through application of the standards and assessment processes.
- Accountability, Support, and Improvement for Schools defines key thresholds for schools – in academic achievement, graduation rates, English language proficiency, school quality, and other measures. It outlines the support that will be provided to schools when necessary.
- Supporting Excellent Educators defines what it takes to be an excellent educator and describes the professional development and other supports offered to educators in Washington state.
- Supporting All Students describes how all students in our state will have access to a fair, equitable, and high-quality education. It addresses the academic and non-academic needs of subgroups of students, and how the state will collect and use data to ensure a well-rounded and supportive education for all students.
To learn more about these six components, you can read the full text of the plan. We have also produced several summary documents that are available on our resources page.
Read a full list of the recommendations approved by State Superintendent Dorn that make up the Consolidated Plan.
How will ESSA change what we do already?
Washington’s schools are changing under the new law. The US Department of Education has provided an ESSA Transition FAQ, and below are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
Districts & Federal Programs Directors: Learn more about ESSA and it’s effect on various programs on our District Resources page.
Adequate Yearly Progress
AYP is no longer required by ESSA, and OSPI will not calculate AYP for the 2016-17 school year based on 2015-16 assessments.
2016-17:
Notice is not required for Supplemental Educational Services (SES), Public School Choice (PSC) and AYP.
Schools and districts will continue to implement existing improvement plans, with some exceptions. They do not need to update them for 2016-17. Please see the transition plan for more details.
For districts that did not meet AYP in 2015-16, OSPI has information on how they will provide support during the transition year.
Assessments
Federal law requires states to assess students, and requirements remain the same under ESSA.
Testing for state and federal accountability will continue as follows:
- English & Math: Grades 3-8 & 11
- Science: Grades 5, 8, & once in high school.
Our tests are aligned to the Washington State K-12 Learning Standards.
Ending Highly Qualified Teachers & Moving to Effective Educators
Districts no longer need to document “highly qualified teacher” (HQT) status for teachers hired after Dec. 10, 2015.
OSPI’s expectations for districts receiving Title II, Part A grant funds for 2015-16 can be found on our Title II, Part A page.
Title I Staffing Requirements for 2017-18—same as the 2016-17 School Year
ESSA requires all Title I teachers and paraeducators meet state certification and licensure requirements.
Teachers
All teachers charged to Title I, Part A funds meet applicable state certification and licensure requirements. The requirements must be met before the teacher can be charged to the grant. A teacher charged to Title I, Part A may be out-of-field or out-of-endorsement (i.e., teaching assignment does not match endorsement) for the 2017–18 school year, as long as the school board approved the placement (per WAC 181-82-110 or WAC 392-172A-002090). School board approval must be in place prior to the date the teacher is charged to Title I, Part A funds.
Paraeducators
ESSA removed the term “highly qualified” for paraeducators, just as it did for teachers. Instead, OSPI is tasked with developing our own minimum state standards. Information about current standards, guidelines, and support can be found on the paraeducators webpage.
Washington does not currently have certification and licensure requirements for paraeducators in state statute. Though the Washington Legislature authorized a Paraeducator Work Group to create recommendations for standards, it has not adopted them. Due to this, OSPI will maintain the paraeducator qualifications required under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) until such time that the Paraeducator Standards are adopted and funded by the Legislature. Information about the standards, guidelines, and support can be found on the paraeducators webpage.
How can I learn more about ESSA?
Visit our resources page which offers information on ESSA that can be used by district personnel, teachers, parents, and students. Our goal is to make the state’s transition process as open as possible, and to incorporate the views and advice of as many people as we can.
In November, OSPI went on a review tour to teach the public about ESSA and our draft Consolidated Plan. The tour is over, but our webinar presentation is still available in video and presentation format. For alternate formats, contact us. |
How do I make my voice heard?
We hope you will share your thoughts on our ESSA draft Consolidated Plan by taking our public comment survey. The public comment period will end February 15, 2017.
Who was involved in creating the Consolidated Plan?
OSPI created the ESSA draft Consolidated Plan alongside state leaders, district and school representatives, and professional organization representatives. Learn more about the workgroups who helped shape ESSA.
WASHINGTON: Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), enacted in 1965, is the nation’s national education law and shows a longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students.
ESEA authorizes state-run programs for eligible schools and districts eager to raise the academic achievement of struggling learners and address the complex challenges that arise for students who live with disability, mobility problems, learning difficulties, poverty, or transience, or who need to learn English.
Every Student Succeeds Act
On December 10, 2015, President Obama reauthorized ESSA as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The new law builds on key areas of progress in recent years, made possible by the efforts of educators, communities, parents, and students across the country.
ESSA replaces the previous reauthorization of ESEA, known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, enacted in 2002. ESSA will be fully operational in school year 2017-18, and a lot of work needs to be done between now and then as we make the transition.
Federal (ESEA) Programs for Schools & Districts
Title Programs
Title I, A Programs and services for struggling learners
Title I, C Migrant Education
Title I, D Institutional Education
Title I, G Advanced Placement
Title II, A Teacher & Principal Quality
Title III Limited English Proficient & Immigrant Students — Language Instruction
Title IV, B 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Title VI Rural Education Achievement Program
Title VII Indian, Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native Education
Title X Homeless Education (McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children & Youth Program)
Advanced Placement (AP) & International Baccalaureate (IB)
Advanced Placement (AP) AP/IB Test Fee Program
Career & Technical Education
Perkins Carl D. Perkins Act/Career & Technical Education Improvement
Discrimination, Section 504, Harassment
Equity & Civil Rights promotes the understanding of rights and responsibilities under civil rights laws, and monitors school district compliance with these laws.
Private Schools & Federal Programs
Private School & Non-profit Participation in federal programs, equitable services
School Safety
Gun-Free Schools Supports school safety and monitors/reports gun-related incidents
Monitoring & Compliance
Consolidated Program Review (CPR) is the monitoring arm of the ESEA, responsible for the review of all ESEA-funded and several state-funded programs. Our CPR team is focused on compliance with law and regulation as central to the positive potential in these programs to support high-quality interventions and lead to better student outcomes.
Federal Program Accountability
Federal Accountability Reports capture student data and information related to the performance of federal programs. OSPI submits these reports to the U.S. Department of Education.
WEST VIRGINIA: ESSA – Resources
- The U.S. Department of Education’s ESSA website
- FAQs on the transition to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provided by The U.S. Department of Education
- Resources for ESSA outlined by the Council of Chief State School Officers
- The National Parent Teacher Association has created a parent factsheet to help answer questions and concerns over the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The two-page guide helps parents navigate ESSA’s impact on classroom instruction, standards, accountability and how to get involved in the implementation process, among other topics.
ESSA – Get Involved
ESSA – Decision Points
Decisions that need to be made regarding the requirements of ESSA are being identified by the West Virginia Department of Education. This decision point identification process will not be completed until the United States Department of Education releases the final regulations (expected in October or November of 2016). The draft ESSA Decision Point Matrix provides an overview of the decision points that are provided through the flexibility that ESSA offers. The Matrix outlines West Virginia’s context for each decision point with respect to existing law/policy and the statutory body delegated decision making authority. This document will be updated as the federal government completes the final ESSA regulations.
It is important to note that many aspects of the ESSA requirements were in place prior to the reauthorization of ESEA. Within the last two years, stakeholder groups have been engaged in revising academic standards, assessments and accountability. While ESSA may allow for flexibility in some areas, many of the decision points are already codified in WV law and policy. The ESSA Decision Point Matrix indicates the statutory entity with the authority to make each decision along with a citation of current regulations.
ESSA – State Plan Development
The West Virginia Department of Education is charged with the development of an ESSA State Plan with a submission deadline of March 2017. The ESSA State Plan will articulate how West Virginia’s schools will implement the various requirements of the legislation. Major component sections of the Plan will include:
- Academic Standards and Assessment: states must describe challenging academic standards and assessments that are consistent with the regulations in Section 1111(b)(1) of ESSA.
- School Accountability and Support for Improvement: states must describe their school accountability system which must include various indicators of student achievement and outcomes. States must also describe its system of support for improving schools that are underperforming and identified by the accountability system to require differentiated supports for improvement.
- Support for Excellent Educators: states must describe their strategies for recruiting and retaining highly effective educators, providing supports to improve educator effectiveness and assuring that all student have access to highly effective teachers.
- Support for All Students: states must describe how it will ensure that all students receive a fair, equitable and high quality education with a focus on specific subgroup interventions.
Through this website, stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide input to decision making processes around a variety of issues that will be addressed in each of the Plan components listed above. Please register to become an ESSA Stakeholder.