Under ESSA, states and districts must ensure that low-income students and students of color are not disproportionally taught by ineffective, inexperienced, and out-of-field teachers.

In high-poverty schools disproportionate numbers of unprepared, substitute, and out-of-field teachers are assigned to classrooms with the highest-needs students. This practice results in frequent teacher turn around; undermining student achievement.

ESSA Addresses Teachers and School Leaders:

• ESSA requires state and school district report cards to include the percentage of inexperienced teachers, principals, and other school leaders; teachers with emergency or provisional credentials; and out of field teachers.
  • Reporting this data provides states with the comparative data necessary to examine the root causes of inequities.
• Title II of ESSA provides program grants to states and districts that can be used for teacher preparation, recruitment, support, and continued learning.
  • ESSA changes the distribution formula for funds by requiring that any increase in funding is prioritized to states with high rates of students living in poverty.
• ESSA has ended the requirement of states to set up teacher evaluation systems based significantly on students’ test scores
  • Growing evidence suggest that using student test scores to determine teacher effectiveness is misguided and does not improve instructional practices.
  • The Teacher and School Leader Innovation Program – will provide grants to districts that want to try out performance pay and other teacher – quality improvement measures