(Originally published by Sunshine State News, November 21, 2016) — Jeb Bush’s education foundation will discuss the newly-implemented Every Student Succeeds Act at its 2016 National Summit on Education Reform in Washington, D.C. next month — and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will moderate a panel discussion on the ESSA.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will open the summit with a morning keynote address.
Panelists will include three former Secretaries of Education, including Arne Duncan, who served as Education Secretary under President Barack Obama.
The ESSA, which replaced the controversial No Child Left Behind Act, was passed late last year and governs over the country’s K-12 education policy. The ESSA held onto some of NCLB’s provisions like standardized testing, which require all students in schools to take standardized assessment tests under the same conditions.
Rice acknowledged the need to discuss the ESSA in detail since it is a newly-passed piece of legislation.
“It is a given that any legislation as sweeping as the Every Student Succeeds Act will take time for states to digest and translate into action on behalf of their students,” said Rice, who also serves a member of the ExcelinEd board of directors. “This distinguished panel of former education secretaries and advisors from three different administrations will offer valuable insight and guidance as policymakers seek to leverage the state-driven opportunities provided in this federal overhaul.”
Rice urged state and national lawmakers to pay attention to attend the panel and listen to the discussion.
Panel participants will take a closer look at the ESSA’s historical context, the major themes of the law and how state lawmakers can use the education package to keep their own states accountable.
Other participants in the panel will include former Secretaries of Education William Bennett (who served under President Ronald Reagan) and Rod Paige, who served as Education Secretary in George W. Bush’s administration.
Obama’s Deputy Assistant for Education Roberto Rodriguez will round out the panel as the fourth member.
“This year’s National Summit comes at a crucial time,” said Bennett. “The new ESSA law has transformed the education landscape and given states opportunities they didn’t have before. I’m honored to be a part of this panel discussion to chart how states can seize upon ESSA and make meaningful and lasting reforms.”
“Reforming our nation’s system for providing children a high quality elementary and secondary education is a national priority,” Paige explained.
While many have praised the ESSA, some groups have vehemently opposed its passage, criticizing its expansive scope and for still promoting a testing-based curriculum and for not truly promoting local control over education reforms.
The summit, the foundation’s ninth, will take place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2. Over 900 education leaders from around the country attended the summit last year.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.