COLUMBUS (AP) — State officials will spend more time reviewing public feedback before sending federal regulators Ohio’s education and accountability plan under the law that replaced No Child Left Behind.
Ohio intended to submit its plan early next month but instead will wait until a September deadline to submit the final plan and, in the meantime, carefully consider the feedback that officials have received, state Superintendent Paolo DeMaria said. He said submission of the plan should be a unifying moment of consensus for education in Ohio, but that it instead has been divisive.
Some educators have raised criticisms about the draft, particularly objecting that it wouldn’t reduce standardized testing of students. Some also have urged Ohio officials to use more specific descriptions to categorize school districts on state report cards and to make it easier to understand those evaluations.
DeMaria rebuffed critics’ claims that Ohio’s draft plan had ignored public feedback on such issues, noting that its development took a year and involved 15,000 Ohioans.
He announced that he will convene an advisory committee to consider the issue of Ohio’s list of tests, which to be altered would require changes in state law. Ohio has 24 tests, more than the 17 required under the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, that gives states more control over schools and education policy.
The state announcement Monday about delaying the plan’s submission came the same day that the U.S. Education Department shared new accountability guidance for identifying and assisting struggling schools under ESSA. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said those new rules give states more flexibility, but some critics complained that the guidance leaves parents and other local stakeholders out of the discussion.
A spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Education said the new federal guidance didn’t affect the state’s decision to delay submitting its plan.
The delay was applauded by the Ohio Federation of Teachers, as well as members of the state school board and lawmakers who lead education committees in the state Legislature.
Today, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote to repeal important accountability regulations under the Every Student Succeeds Act that were issued by the Obama administration. Such action could have severe negative implications for low-performing schools and students.
If the regulations are repealed, groups of students with low graduation rates may fall through the cracks and not be identified for the additional support they need. Low-income students, students of color, special education students, English language learners and other traditionally underserved students are most likely to be negatively impacted.
Additionally, school letter grades could mask the low performance of traditionally underserved students and inaccurate graduation rate calculations may prevent low-performing high schools from receiving support.
To repeal the accountability measures, the Senate needs only a simple majority vote. Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate, meaning that at least three Republicans need to vote against the measure. So far, U.S. Senator Rob Portmanof Ohio is the only Republican who has said he will vote against the measure.
Now is the time to call your Senators to urge them to vote NO. Call (202) 224-3121 and an operator will connect you directly with your Senator’s office. When you reach your Senator’s office, ask to speak with or leave a message for the person who covers education.
Ohio’s plan takes a detailed look at the state’s education system and makes important improvements based on the feedback of our stakeholders and requirements in the law.
Under the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Ohio is creating a plan for how our local, state and federal programs are aligned to help all of our students be successful. We asked for your participation and input through webinars, regional meetings and online survey, which are now completed.
Thank you to all who participated in providing information and input. Approximately 3,100 individuals participated in the ESSA webinars (see recordings below) and more than 1,500 people attended the 10 regional meetings (see below). There were more than 11,000 responses to the ESSA online survey. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Education attended more than 70 meetings and presentations around the state and collected suggestions and recommendations submitted through email to the Department.
The Ohio Department of Education is committed to comprehensive and collaborative community engagement leading to the development of our state Student Success Plan. A plan that is deeply rooted in the needs of Ohio’s students, educators and communities requires everyone’s input. We expect the draft plan to be ready and open for public comment later this year.
On Dec. 10, 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a long-awaited overhaul of federal education law. Passed with bipartisan support, ESSA represents a shift from broad federal oversight of primary and secondary education to greater flexibility and decision making at the state and local levels. The law replaces the No Child Left Behind Act.
Ohio is committed to involving educators, parents and other stakeholders as we explore new ways to ensure that all our students receive the education they need for bright futures.
ESSA requires that states develop plans that address standards, assessments, school and district accountability, and special help for struggling schools.
The transition plan as outlined in ESSA includes: The 2016-2017 school year will be a transition period with full implementation of new state plans effective with the 2017-2018 school year.
HOW TO SHARE ESSA AND KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING.
The U.S. Department of Education has extended its submission deadline for states’ Every Student Succeeds Act to April 3rd. Prior to submitting the final State Plan, the Ohio Department of Education intends to post a summary of the draft State Plan by mid-January 2017 and they will post the full draft State Plan for public comment in early February.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have told the U.S. Department of Education that they are aiming to file their plans for implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act by early April, in time for the first deadline set by the Obama administration.
Those states are Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont, plus the District of Columbia.
States have spent the past year reaching out to educators and advocates to decide how to handle everything from teacher effectiveness to school ratings to that brand new indicator of student success and school quality…
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to develop plans that address standards, assessments, school and district accountability, and
special …
Published on Feb 12, 2017
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to develop plans that address standards, assessments, school and district accountability, and special help for struggling schools. After a year of hard work and outreach which engaged more than 15,000 Ohioans, the Ohio Department of Education has released the draft overview and complete technical draft submission of Ohio’s Every Student Succeeds Act state plan, available to view here: http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Every-Student-Succeeds-Act-ESSA
During this webcast recording from Feb. 10, Department leadership discuss and share details about Ohio’s ESSA plan and discuss what it means for schools, students, educators and families.
Today the Alliance for Excellent Education was recognized for its work to expand quality Linked Learning opportunities for students in California and across the nation at the Linked Learning Convention in Oakland, California. Linked Learning is a comprehensive educational approach that integrates rigorous academics, high-quality career and technical education, work-based learning, and student support to prepare all students, especially those who are traditionally underserved, to graduate from high school with the skills necessary to succeed in college and a career.
“From the most rural to the most urban school settings, Linked Learning is a sterling example of how the combined efforts of school districts, colleges and universities, and employers can make education more engaging for students and more relevant to the twenty-first-century economy,” said Alliance for Excellent Education President Bob Wise, who received the 2017 Linked Learning Policymaker Champion Award. “The Alliance is honored to be partners in this movement and to have communicated the impact of Linked Learning to federal policymakers and education leaders for nearly a decade.”
Originating in California with nine school districts, Linked Learning has expanded to serve more than 65,000 students in California, and many more in Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. The approach is working to reverse the trend of too many students, particularly African American, Latino, and students from low-income families, who are failing to graduate from high school with the skills necessary to succeed.
In conjunction with the convention, the Alliance released a short video demonstrating how Linked Learning is changing lives and improving educational outcomes for students at Los Angeles Unified School District. In the video, Paola—a first-generation college student—shares how her mentorship in high school helped to prepare her for college and a career. Watch the video below or at https://youtu.be/rUbM4wMjvcs.
“Our students are becoming increasingly more diverse and it is clear that our success as a nation is inextricably linked to the achievement of students from low-income families,” said Wise. “Linked Learning has been a successful approach to more positive education results for traditionally underserved students. For example, African American students in Linked Learning pathways are 12.4 percentage points more likely than their peers to enroll in a four-year college.”
“More than 11 million jobs have been created since the Great Recession, and only 1 percent of those jobs went to people with only a high school diploma,” said Wise. “It’s obvious that students need preparation for both postsecondary education and the workforce—not one or the other.”
“Linked Learning makes the critical connection between the classroom, college, and a career while eliminating the disconnect between classroom learning and the real world of the workplace,” said Wise. “This approach enables students to explore their interests while preparing them for the jobs they will be applying for and that the workforce will be seeking.”
Teachers, administrators, and support staff from Sylvania Schools are developing a plan for each of the district’s 12 schools to better meet the needs of minority students and those who face economic hardship.
About 80 representatives from the district last week participated in a three-day training on cultural competency. They heard stories about Arab students struggling to learn English and impoverished students who don’t have access to computers or the Internet to complete assignments.
Teachers, administrators, and support staff from Sylvania Schools are developing a plan for each school to better meet the needs of minority students and those who face economic hardship.
Much of the training revolved around ways to make education more equitable, school board President Julie Hoffman said.
In the end, representatives from each building and the central offices were tasked with recognizing diversity within the district and making sure all students’ needs are met, regardless of race, religion, culture, or socio-economic background.
“It was a profound experience,” Ms. Hoffman said. “I’m blessed to be in this community and to be part of this district that is willing to learn new things and respond to the needs of our students, and the needs of our students are changing.”
Adam Fineske, the district’s executive director of teaching and learning, said the makeup of Sylvania Schools’ roughly 7,500 students has changed in the past decade, both culturally and economically. He said there are more students who speak English as a second language, and of the district’s ESL students 120 speak Arabic as their primary language. There are also more students who qualify for free and reduced lunches, he said, particularly on the district’s east side.
As the district’s dynamics shift, so then must its approach to education, Mr. Fineske said. He’s hopeful the cultural competency training will help shape that process.
“The teachers are needing this, they need some support,” he said. “And how do we respond to help all the kids? It’s not what we did 10 years ago. It has to be different.”
The training tied in with the Every Student Succeeds Act, the new federal education law that calls for input from local districts and their communities when it comes to educating students. A $12,000 grant from the National Education Association made the training possible, and facilitators from both the NEA and the Ohio Education Association ran it.
Sylvania Education Association President and high school English teacher Dan Greenberg said he believes Sylvania Schools is the first district in Ohio to hold such a training, and he hopes to see other schools in the are replicate it.
“We are far ahead of the curve in that way, and I’m really proud of it,” he said.
Mr. Greenberg said he hopes to put on a community forum in the coming months to further gather public input on the district’s growing diversity and keep community members in the loop on the work that’s being done.
“I don’t see it as one and done,” he said of the training. “I see it as a springboard for future activities that are really going to benefit our students.”
Published on Aug 11, 2016
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to look at more than test scores and graduation rates when evaluating school or district success. Under this new law, Ohio must incorporate non-academic factors into our accountability systems. Learn more in this webinar recording about non-academic measures as we work to expand the ways in which we recognize school and district quality.
