{"id":354834,"date":"2016-04-04T11:01:41","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T16:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/education\/curriculum-standards-school-funding\/every-child-achieves-act-of-2015.html"},"modified":"2023-10-16T11:49:26","modified_gmt":"2023-10-16T16:49:26","slug":"every-child-achieves-act-of-2015","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/education\/curriculum-standards-school-funding\/every-child-achieves-act-of-2015.html","title":{"rendered":"Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015<\/h1>\n
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The Every Student Succeeds Act<\/a>, commonly known as ESSA, is a major piece of national education law. Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed the law in 2015. ESSA reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act<\/a> (ESEA) of 1965. The law focuses on student success, especially for those who are disadvantaged.<\/p>\r\n

ESSA was originally introduced in the U.S. Senate as the Every Child Achieves Act. The legislation’s primary goal was to address widespread concerns about the restrictive nature of No Child Left Behind<\/a>. The Every Student Succeeds Act, as the U.S. House dubbed the 2015 effort, aimed to give more autonomy to states and public schools. It reduced high-stakes testing. The act also offered a more holistic approach to addressing school performance.<\/p>\r\n

This article provides a brief overview of the ESSA and the legislation that led to it.<\/p>\r\n

Background: From ESEA to NCLB to ESSA<\/h2>\r\n

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or ESEA, was first passed in 1965. It meant a major federal commitment to providing all children with equal education opportunities. The law focused much of its concern on children from low-income or disadvantaged backgrounds. It ensured such students received extra support through federal funding.<\/p>\r\n

In 2001, Congress reauthorized ESEA with the No Child Left Behind Act<\/a> (NCLB). The George W. Bush-era education law was ambitious. It set strict measures to hold schools accountable for student achievement. It mandated annual testing and set clear academic standards. It also required interventions for schools that didn’t meet those standards. The nation’s public schools were tasked with ensuring that all students met these standards.<\/p>\r\n

Yet, as the years passed, educators, parents, and policymakers noted challenges with NCLB. Critics believed its emphasis on high-stakes testing created undue pressure. There were concerns that schools were \u201cteaching to the test." Critics advocated for a more comprehensive, high-quality education.<\/p>\r\n

The Senate and other stakeholders recognized these challenges. After much debate, they decided the act needed to change. This set the stage for the development of the ESSA in 2015. ESSA sought to address the concerns about NCLB. It also aimed to preserve the commitment that no child be left behind in their education journey.<\/p>\r\n

The Key Provisions of ESSA<\/h2>\r\n

At the heart of ESSA are its key provisions to address various facets of K-12 education in the United States. Here is a brief overview of the most notable acts included in ESSA:<\/p>\r\n