Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education released a “parents’ guide” that is designed to help parents and guardians understand the flexibility provided to states and school districts by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
According to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, the resources were created to “empower those closest to students with information they need to be informed advocates” for their children. “Parents should not have to parse through a 500-page legal document to understand how a law or policy affects their children’s education,” said Secretary DeVos.
The guide includes a 19-slide presentation that highlights the different ways states and districts can meet the letter of the law. The guide includes sections on tests, accountability, school support and improvement, student-focused activities, charter schools, funding flexibility, and supporting local reform. Along with the guide, a summary document highlights the options ESSA provides to states and school districts. A “Build Your Own ESSA Explainer” presentation slide deck also is available to allow districts to customize a presentation to communicate key facts and details about what ESSA means for families.
All of the newly released materials, along with other ESSA resources, are available on the U.S. Department of Education’s ESSA website.