On February 26, the Department of Education posted a new set of “Frequently Asked Questions” regarding the implementation of the recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act. The document is designed “to support States and LEAs in understanding expectations during the transition to full implementation of the ESSA.”
As with any new legislation, there are many questions that must be answered to ensure policies and programs are implemented at the state and local level in a way that matches congressional intent, and to ensure an orderly transition from the prior Act to the new one. This document includes questions and answers organized around five topics, including:
- General Transition
- Flexibility
- Title I Programs and Requirements
- Title II, Part A Programs and Requirements
- Title III, Part A Programs and Requirements
The new document clarifies several elements related to the upcoming school year specifically, including what data must be submitted, how funds should be allocated and how waivers policies will be treated. All the Departments guidance on ESSA can be found on its online resource page at http://www.ed.gov/essa, and this document will be continually updated as new information about the implementation process becomes available.
Along with the release of this new information, the Department also expressed interest in hearing more from those working to implement the law. The following instructions were provided for asking additional questions or making comments:
If you are interested in commenting on this guidance, or if you have further questions that are not answered here, please e-mail us at [email protected] using the subject “ESSA Transition Question". You can also write to us at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202.
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