Secretary DeVos Praises Expansion of Educational Opportunities for Illinois Students and Families

Secretary DeVos Praises Expansion of Educational Opportunities for Illinois Students and Families

SEPTEMBER 1, 2017

Washington — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today released the following statement:

“Real change and innovation in education will not come from Washington—it will come from states where parents and students demand more education options and have their voices heard. I commend Gov. Rauner and Superintendent Smith for their leadership in making Illinois the 18th state to adopt a tax credit scholarship program. By expanding choices for families and focusing funding on individual students, this program will help thousands of Illinois children succeed.”

Secretary DeVos Approves District of Columbia, Illinois, Oregon and Tennessee’s ESSA Plans

Secretary DeVos Approves District of Columbia, Illinois, Oregon and Tennessee’s ESSA Plans

AUGUST 30, 2017

Contact: (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced the approval of the District of Columbia, Illinois, Oregon and Tennessee consolidated state plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

“As more and more state plans come under the Department’s review, I am heartened to see how states have embraced the spirit of flexibility under ESSA to improve education for individual students,” said Secretary DeVos.

Allowing states more flexibility in how they deliver education to students is at the core of ESSA. Each state crafted a plan that it feels will best offer educational opportunities to meet the needs of the state and its students. The following are some of the unique elements from each state’s approved plan as highlighted by each state:

District of Columbia

Creates the School Transparency and Reporting (STAR) framework, a universal framework for every public school in DC that will provide an easy-to-understand annual rating to each school based on 1-5 stars.

Measures the quality of Pre-Kindergarten through use of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), which assesses the quality of teacher-child interactions in early childhood classrooms.

“DC’s plan is guided by our commitment to providing equitable access to high quality education for all students and flexibility for our schools to meet the unique needs of all students,” said DC State Superintendent for Education Hanseul Kang. “This plan is the right one for DC, and I am proud that it was informed by rigorous engagement with partners and community members, including the DC State Board of Education, local education agencies, parents, educators, and advocates.”

Illinois

Creates a College/Career Ready Indicator for high schools that measures the readiness of students for college based on several indicators, including GPA, performance on postsecondary readiness exams and attendance, in addition to considering community service hours, summer employment, participation in ROTC, and/or earning industry credentials.
Uses survey responses from students to help assign schools a “school climate” score, giving students a chance to provide meaningful feedback and ensuring the student perspective will be a part of the school’s overall summative rating.

“Illinois is committed to supporting the whole child in transforming learning opportunities for all students in our state,” said Illinois State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “We want every child to feel well known and well cared for in our schools and to receive the individual support they need for academic excellence and postsecondary success. The Illinois ESSA Plan gives us the opportunity to foster collaboration and partnerships to build educators’ and leaders’ capacity for improved student outcomes. We appreciate the partnership with the U.S. Department of Education throughout the ESSA process, and we look forward to our continued efforts on behalf of each and every child.”

Oregon

Prioritizes four commitments in its plan: advancing equity; creating a well-rounded education; strengthening district systems; and fostering ongoing stakeholder engagement.
Implements a new “Freshmen on track” measure to confirm that students have completed at least 6 credits within the first semester of freshmen year, recognizing the importance of credit attainment in early high school in order to graduate on time.

“Today is a tremendous milestone for Oregon. Oregon’s State Plan is founded on equity and represents the voices and communities we serve,” Oregon Deputy Superintendent Salam Noor said. “We want to put every one of our learners on a path to success from birth through high school, and beyond. And whether our students choose to attend college or go straight into the workforce, it’s critical that their school experience is full of opportunity, and ensures they are college and career ready.”

Tennessee

Supports teacher and principal residencies to create more high-quality pipeline opportunities for prospective candidates to move into those roles; also establishes new grant initiatives that focus on increasing innovation and diversity in the educator workforce.

Focuses on college readiness through the Tennessee Promise initiative.

“Our ESSA plan is built on what we’ve started in Tennessee and centered on the belief that every student should be ready for postsecondary when they graduate high school,” said Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen. “Tennessee’s education community helped us to create a strong plan that will help us take our work to the next level, and we look forward to continuing these partnerships now as we move forward.”

Secretary DeVos Approves Maine and Vermont’s ESSA Plans

Secretary DeVos Approves Maine and Vermont’s ESSA Plans

AUGUST 31, 2017

Contact:   Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced the approval of Maine and Vermont’s consolidated state plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

“Both Maine and Vermont’s plans were found to comply with the law, so I am happy to approve them,” said Secretary DeVos. “I want to thank the chief state school officers, governors and all other stakeholders who helped craft these plans that will help their students succeed.”

Allowing states more flexibility in how they deliver education to students is at the core of ESSA. Each state crafted a plan that it feels will best offer educational opportunities to meet the needs of the state and its students. The following are some of the unique elements from each state’s approved plan as highlighted by each state:

Maine

  • Creates a three-tiered system of support for schools based on performance, with the highest level of support offering coaching and mentoring to teach effective strategies for school turnaround, in addition to increased funding for staff professional development.
  • Plans to reduce the number of non-proficient students in half by 2030.

“Maine’s ESSA plan is moving away from compliance and regulation toward a model that supports and assists schools and educators, especially in areas where students are at a disadvantage,” said Robert G. Hasson, Maine Commissioner of Education.

Vermont

  • Creates an innovative measure of postsecondary outcomes by measuring the percentage of former high school students enrolled in college or trade school, employed in the workforce and/or enlisted in the military approximately 16 months after their high school experience ends.
  • Includes physical education in its accountability system to encourage schools to attend to the whole child and to help promote a lifestyle of healthy living.

“The Vermont State Plan reflects Vermont’s simultaneous goals of supporting our most vulnerable students while focusing on solutions that are practical and effective to meet our educational needs,” said Rebecca Holcombe, Vermont Secretary of Education. “We have worked hard to create a plan that values student success for all, both in the classroom and in preparing our students to be engaged and contributing citizens once they leave our schools.”

Readout of Secretary DeVos’ Meeting with Florida Education Leaders

Readout of Secretary DeVos’ Meeting with Florida Education Leaders

AUGUST 30, 2017

Contact:   Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov

WHAT:
Meeting between the U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Reverend Dr. RB Holmes and K-12 and HBCU Leaders

WHEN:
Wednesday, August 30, 2017, 11:45 – 3:00 p.m.

WHERE:
Bethel Family Life Center
406 N Bronough Street Tallahassee, FL 32301

Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos met with a broad spectrum of education leaders in Florida. The meeting was divided into two 45-minute sessions. The first session was titled “Saving, Sustaining and Strengthening Public Education and Schools of Choice” and the second was titled “Saving, Sustaining and Strengthening HBCUs and Higher Education.”

In each session, the group discussed:

  • Policies and Procedures
  • Challenges and Concerns

Secretary DeVos offered the following comments on the meeting:

“As we confront the many challenges facing our education system today, it is paramount that we hear from those on the front lines: local leaders who confront these issues head on each and every day. Today’s discussions were great examples of how local leaders – whether they are administrators, educators, elected officials or religious leaders – can come together to share best practices and work together to find innovative solutions that help our students and communities succeed.

“I want to thank Rev. Dr. RB Holmes for convening this summit, and also, more importantly, for his long track record of working on behalf of often-disadvantaged students who without his tireless efforts would not have the opportunities they enjoy today.”

ATTENDEES INCLUDED:
Reverend Dr. RB Holmes, Pastor, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church

Education Roundtable Participants Invited to Attend:

  • Dr. Timothy Moore, Director of Research, Florida A&M University
  • Rodner Wright, Provost, Florida A&M University
  • Dr. Castelle Bryant, Past President, Florida A&M University
  • Dr. Henry Lewis Lewis, Past President, Florida A&M University
  • Ms. JoLinda L. Herring, Esq. – Florida Memorial University, Board of Trustees
  • Dr. Freddie Grooms-McLendon – Edward Waters University, Chairman, Board of Trustees
  • The Honorable Senator Bill Montford – Florida Senator
  • The Honorable Congressman Al Lawson – United States Representative
  • Chancellor Hershel Lyons – FL State Dept. of Education K-12 Chancellor
  • Commissioner Pam Stewart – Commissioner of Education
  • Chancellor Rod Duckworth – Career and Adult Education
  • Superintendent Alex “Lex” Carswell, Jr. – Columbia County
  • Superintendent Dr. Patricia Willis – Duval County
  • Superintendent Traci Moses – Franklin County
  • Superintendent Marianne Arbulu – Jefferson County
  • Ms. Beverly Owens – Leon County Schools Office of Federal Programs & Charter School
  • Mrs. Diane Townsend – Principal, Tallavana Christian School
  • Dr. Roslyn Wilson – Principal, Bethel Christian Academy
  • Dr. Julius McAllister – Trustee, Edward Waters University; Pastor, Bethel AME Church
  • Dr. Joseph Wright – Florida Baptist General State Conventionm Pastor, Jerusalem Baptist Church
  • Bishop A.J. Richardson – Bethune-Cookman University, Board of Trustees,
  • 14th Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Church
  • Pastor Lee Johnson – Pastor, Trinity Presbyterian Church
  • Dr. Richard Mashburn – Associate Minister, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  • Dr. Isaac Manning – Moderator, 1st Bethlehem Baptist Association
  • Dr. Ronald Holmes – Holmes Education Post
  • Dr. Marvin Henderson – Retired Deputy Superintendent, Leon County Schools
  • Ms. Georgia “Joy” Bowen – President, Leon County School Board
  • Mrs. Caroly D. Cummings, Esq.
  • Mr. James Coleman – Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  • Dr. Elaine Bryant – Chair, Board of Trustees, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  • Mr. James Mathews – Chairman of Finance, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  • Dr. Barbara Barnes – Retired Provost, Florida A&M University
  • Mr. Malcom Barnes – Retired Professor, Florida A&M University
  • Dr. Malinda J. James – Educational Consultant
  • Reverend Dr. RB Holmes, Jr. – Pastor, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  • Dr. Gloria Holmes – Administrator, Bethel Christian Academy
  • Dr. Shawnta Friday-Stroud – Dean of the School of Business and Industry, Florida A&M University
  • Superintendent Rocky Hanna – Leon County Schools
  • Dr. Patricia Green-Powell – Interim Dean and Professor, College of Education, Florida A&M University
  • Dr. Charles Weatherford – Title III Programs, Interim Executive Director
  • Mr. Christopher Petley – Project Manager, Office of District Communications
  • Dr. Linda T. Fortenberry – Director of Christian Education, Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
  • Ms. Taralisha Sanders, Office Manager, The Capital Outlook