“U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos hasn’t testified before the House or Senate education committees since becoming secretary more than a year ago—and Democrats aren’t happy about that,” reports Alyson Klein. Democrats “say they want to question DeVos’ choice to approve ESSA plans that they and some...
Carolyn Phenicie reports that the Republican-controlled Congress, after a year of a “hands-off” approach, is “taking a small step back into the fight over implementing” ESSA. Included in “a report filed with the $1.3 trillion government funding bill passed last week is a reminder to states—through the federal Education...
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a hearing on state innovation under ESSA. During the hearing, Chairman Lamar Alexander commented that “Tennessee, Louisiana, and New Mexico have taken the most advantage of the flexibility” offered under ESSA, in terms of “creating innovative...
The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions will hold a hearing to discuss state innovation under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
While speaking to local education leaders, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) told them to “assume that the U.S. Dept. of Education will say yes” to the “plans they’re drafting to comply with ESSA.” Alexander called for stakeholders to continue to draft plans.
Education Week released a series of articles unpacking the impact that the incoming Trump administration could have on the implementation of ESSA. How Trump will tackle ESSA under his new administration. The piece argued that lawmakers can use the Congressional Review Act to their advantage...
Following the Vice Presidential debate, Education World published an article highlighting the candidates’ past positions on education, including ESSA. Sen. Tim Kaine has been an advocate for “career and technical education,” and sought to include related programs in ESSA “to improve access to K-12 career...
An article in The Atlantic notes that, under ESSA, schools are eligible for grant funding to cover a range of “educational supports beyond classroom instruction, including college and career counseling.” The piece calls for additional resources for overworked guidance counselors in schools. ESSA authorizes over...
A Wall Street Journal editorial questions the Dept. of Education’s proposed “supplement, not supplant” regulations. The piece raises concern over additional funding increases needed to comply with the provision, as well as an increase in federal control that was “contrary to what Congress intended.” According...
Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt commented on ESSA in an interview, specifically noting his comments to Congress during a hearing this summer. “I couldn’t sit idly by and be quiet about something that I think was going against what the intent of [ESSA] was… I...
