Check State Plans Analysis of Second-Round ESSA Plans Released!
December 12, 2017
The Collaborative for Student Success, in partnership with Bellwether Education Partners, has released the results of an independent peer review of the 34 state plans submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in September. The findings—coupled with the results of the first independent peer review of the 17 states that submitted in April—show that states largely squandered the opportunity provided by ESSA. “State plans have now been reviewed for all 50 states and the District of Columbia—and on the whole, states failed to lay out bold plans for improving education. While some plans did offer innovative ideas for other states to learn from, the lack of focus on ensuring success for all students is not only concerning, but potentially a step backward,” said Jim Cowen, executive director of the Collaborative. “We look forward to supporting state advocates in efforts to improve upon these plans and leverage the exemplary practices identified at CheckStatePlans.org to dramatically improve outcomes for all students.” The review included more than 45 peer reviewers, representing bipartisan viewpoints, and including eight former state chiefs, 14 former teachers, state education leaders, members of the civil rights and disability communities, and education experts from around the country. See reviews for all 50 states and the District of Columbia here.