ESSA

Running head: EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) 1 Every Student Succeeds Act ( ESSA ) Catherine Breaux POL 201 – American National Government Ashford University Jasmine Brooks June 8 , 2018

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) 2 Every Student Succeeds Act ( ESSA ) The Every Student Succeeds Act ( ESSA ) gives states the power to implement an Education system that works best for the community . Rather than relying on a cookie-cutter structure and following a basic structure laid out for everyone , the state government can mold their curriculum to best suit the individual needs of every student . This act was created to replace No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) , and it fixed some of the issues associated with this act . Standardized testing was a significant part of the NCLB , and while it is still essential through the ESSA , the system has changed . States now have the individual responsibility to determine how their schools test , and how important testing is to the overall success of the school system . When the ESSA was created , a new outlook on education was formed; by changing the way schools test and the impact of the state legislature on their individual educational needs , the ESSA completely transformed the education system as we know it . Historical and Constitutional Background In 1965 , the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ( ESEA ) was signed by President , Lyndon B . Johnson , giving all students an equal opportunity at a decent education . Through the ESEA , every student was given a chance to grown and learn regardless of their race , if they had disabilities , and their financial status ( Darrow , 2016 ) . In 2002 , President George W . Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act ( NCLB ) . This act called for the reauthorization of the ESEA and created a focus on standardized testing . This system was designed as a way to hold schools accountable for how well their students performed on tests .

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) 4 Through the system of checks and balances , the Every Student Succeeds Act ( ESSA ) was reauthorized by Congress . All three branches , the legislative , executive , and judicial worked towards finding a better solution to the No Child Left Behind Act , and so the ESSA was created . This new act affords states the opportunity to create an accountability system that works for their individual educational needs . The states also get to choose the path they want to take when their schools aren't measuring up to their set standards ( Posey , 2016 ) . Legislators are in charge of creating and changing these policies when they feel it is not in the education systems best interest to keep them . To make these decisions more manageable for each state , the education system is split into a few different groups that focus on the individual needs of schools , such as testing and early childhood needs . Through the ESSA , these actions make certain that school systems are held accountable by their respective state , ensuring that the appropriate amount of funding is given to each school based off of their performance . Not only does splitting up the education system make decisions more manageable , but it also creates a more balanced system . This allows each section to focus solely on its role in the education department , rather than balancing all aspects at once . For example , the school's District Administration focuses on managing funding and programs , whereas the Regional Administration is in charge of providing professional training and guidance . These groups allow legislators to create an education system that works best for specific districts throughout the state . Public Policy , Elections , and Media

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) 5 The media can play a significant role when it is time to elect new superintendents and board members . For example , if a school does poorly on standardized tests , "voters might hold appointed district superintendents—rather than elected school board members—responsible for student achievement , in the same way that they appear to attribute credit and blame for economic performance to governors but not legislators" ( Kogan , Lavertu , & Peskowitz , 2016 , p . 672 ) . This type of pressure can motivate elected officials to provide a better standard of education . Parents judge how well a school district is doing based on how well their child does on testing , and so they are more likely to vote for officials that they believe will accomplish this . It was a groundbreaking moment when the ESSA was signed by President Barack H . Obama . When the ESSA first came about , it was expected by the government that the media would report on it more than they have thus far . As time progresses , however , reporters are beginning to hold legislators accountable for what they promised to do in the education field . While media outlets are starting to focus on struggling school systems , some other angles regarding the ESSA that are being covered by the media include struggling school systems , educational funding and expenses , and standardized testing ( Russo , 2017 ) . Mass media can have a dramatic effect on how citizens view the education system for their state , and schools systems do not have the luxury of ignoring the media as it can both hinder and advance the growth and work of the education system ( Boram , 1963 ) . Voting and the Election Process Whenever the ESEA has to be reauthorized , it goes through a rigorous authorization process that goes through and weeds out any ineffective or duplicate programs . Reauthorization

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) 7 students have an equal opportunity in education . Although testing is an essential aspect of the ESSA , states are given a chance to look beyond just test scores . While states work towards achieving a better educational standard overall , media involvement is paramount by informing parents and the community how their children and school districts are performing . While the ESSA is not the answer to all of America's educational needs , it is undoubtedly a step in the right direction .

EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) 8 References Black , D . W . ( 2018 ) . The constitutional compromise to guarantee education . Stanford Law Review , ( 3 ) , 735 . Boram , W . ( 1963 ) . The mass media of communication as extra-school educative force . The Journal of Educational Sociology , 36 ( 9 ) , 437-441 . doi:10 . 2307/2264608 Darrow , A . ( 2016 ) . The every student succeeds act ( ESSA ) . General Music Today , 30 ( 1 ) , 41-44 . doi:10 . 1177/1048371316658327 Ferguson , M . ( 2017 ) . The shape of the federal role in education: a repeal of ESSA is highly unlikely , but DeVos can stifle the law . Phi Delta Kappan , ( 8 ) Hess , F . M ., & Eden , M . ( 2017 ) . The Long Path to ESSA . Retrieved May 23 , 2018 , from www . aei . org/publication/the-long-path-to-essa/ Kogan , V ., Lavertu , S ., & Peskowitz , Z . ( 2016 ) . Do school report cards produce accountability through the ballot box? . Journal Of Policy Analysis & Management , 35 ( 3 ) , 639 . doi:10 . 1002/pam . 21912 Posey , L . ( 2016 ) . Legislators have a say in ESSA . State Legislatures , ( 6 ) , 7 . Russo , A . ( 2017 ) . How media coverage of a new federal education law is improving . Retrieved from http://www . kappanonline . org/russo-update-improving-media-coverage-of-federal- essa-law65609-2/ Strand , M ., & Lang , T . ( 2017 ) . Fixing the authorization process: restoring checks and balances . Retrieved from https://www . conginst . org/2017/10/19/fixing-the-authorization-process- restoring-checks-and-balances/