25 Organizations Write to DeVos with Guidance for Peer Review Process
April 26, 2017
In a letter to Secretary DeVos, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and 24 other organizations urged her to “ensure that children receive the support and attention they deserve through the implementation of ESSA.” The groups raised concern over submitted plans that are missing key elements that will ensure a well-rounded, high-quality education and asked the Dept. of Education to stress the importance of the following factors in their review of ESSA plans:
- State plans must demonstrate that schools will be held accountable for disaggregated student achievement;
- Indicators in school ratings should be consistent across the state, disaggregated for each group of students and focused on student achievement;
- State plans must include evidence of parent and community engagement and tribal consultation in the plan’s development with an ongoing plan to engage and consult these crucial stakeholders;
- State accountability systems must emphasize a four-year high school graduation rate;
- State accountability systems must include a measure of English language proficiency for English learners.
- State accountability systems must meaningfully hold schools accountable if fewer than 95 percent of all students or any subgroup of students are not included in the state’s assessment;
- State plans must include effective strategies for supporting districts to improve conditions for student learning.