Four Ways Lawmakers Can Strengthen ESSA When They Reauthorize It
December 3, 2019
The Every Student Succeeds Act will need to be reauthorized after the 2020-2021 school year and, as Connor P. Williams outlines, this is a prime opportunity for federal lawmakers to strengthen the law. Among his recommendations, Williams suggests lawmakers “consider deeper centralization of public education,” in part by increasing federal funding for public education. Another suggestion he offers is to “consider revamping federal accountability” by adding more specificity into the law. Third, Williams suggests we “dramatically expand the amount the federal government spends on public education,” with the goal of increasing access to early childhood education. Finally, Williams argues, the law should “avoid mandating priorities that federal policies are bad at advancing” and refocus resources and energy “on issues that federal mandates can actually address.”