CTE Policy Watch: A blog for CTE advocates

How Career Readiness Fared in the First ESSA State Plans

The guest piece below was written by representatives of Advance CTE.

By: Austin Estes and Kate Kreamer, Advance CTE

On December 10, 2015, the day he signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law, President Barack Obama praised the bill, saying “I’m proud to sign a law that’s going to make sure that every student is prepared to succeed in the 21st century.” ESSA did provide a much-needed upgrade to the nation’s largest K-12 education program, adopting measures to ensure all learners would be prepared for success. But now that the first 16 states and D.C. have submitted their ESSA plans for review, are they taking full advantage of the opportunities to prepare students for life after high school? After reading through each of the round 1 plans, Advance CTE and the Education Strategy Group found that, while more than half plan to adopt measures of career readiness in their accountability systems, many states missed an opportunity to fully leverage ESSA to advance a statewide vision of career readiness.

The primary area where career readiness shows up in round 1 ESSA plans is in state accountability systems. Under ESSA, state leaders have broad flexibility to identify the appropriate metrics and methodology to hold schools accountable for student success. Specifically, ESSA’s fifth indicator, a state-selected measure of “school quality or student success,” enables states to innovate in selecting a measure that best values their priorities. Among other measures, states were encouraged to examine advanced coursework and postsecondary success.

In total, 11 out of the first 17 submitted plans identified at least one measure of career readiness in their accountability systems. In Nevada, for example, the state plans to measure the number of students completing postsecondary pathway options such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or industry-aligned and state board-approved credentials. North Dakota, on the other hand, aims to track the number of students graduating “choice-ready,” or prepared for success in college, military or the workforce. The state’s career ready pathway identifies students who complete certain career preparation activities — including work-based learning, Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway completion and industry credential attainment — on top of core academic achievements.

Yet, when it came to other areas of the law, many states missed the opportunity to further a statewide vision for career readiness. Despite what they said in their goals and accountability systems, many state plans were light on details about how they would support local districts to advance career readiness. Only five states identified state-level activities under Title IV, Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants) to support career readiness, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and/or dual enrollment. These included Connecticut, which plans to provide technical assistance to districts building new CTE pathways and increasing work-based learning opportunities, and Nevada, which plans to braid funding across Title programs to help districts engage families and facilitate a deeper understanding of a well-rounded education, including enrollment in advanced coursework such as CTE. (Most states listed CTE and other strategies as a state support for well-rounded education, but fell short of describing how ESSA would be used to expand these strategies).

Needless to stay, there is still time to promote career readiness through implementation. In the spirit of flexibility, the U.S. Department of Education’s requirements for ESSA plan submissions were incredibly tolerant, allowing states to describe in loose terms how they planned to implement the law. While state plans were light on details, supporting career preparation was a major theme surfaced through many states’ stakeholder engagement. It is possible that state leaders will yet be responsive to this feedback and find ways to strengthen career readiness beyond accountability.

For the 34 states planning to submit their plans in September, now is the time to ensure career readiness is prioritized. ESSA was designed to create space and flexibility for states to advance their own needs and priorities. But if it is truly going to prepare all students for success in the 21st century, states must maximize every opportunity to connect ESSA to their statewide vision for career readiness.

* The opinions expressed in this piece are those of Advance CTE.

Career Readiness and State ESSA Plans

The guest piece below was written by Terry Holliday, former commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education and current board chairman of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Dr. Holliday was also ACTE’s 2016 Champion of the Year, and continues to play an active role in education at the national level through involvement in projects like New Skills for Youth. We are pleased to share his insights into ESSA implementation*!

By: Terry Holliday

I recently reviewed the Every Student Succeeds Act plans from the 17 states (including DC) who have submitted their plans for review by the U.S. Department of Education. Of interest to me were the measures that states are using to identify college and career readiness. I also researched the draft plans of the other 33 states and if they did not have a plan available, I looked at the existing state accountability model.

What I found is very interesting. During the NCLB era, there were very few states who utilized a measure in the state accountability model for college and career readiness. Kentucky and Louisiana were among the very few states to have actual measures of college and career readiness included in their models. Based on my quick review, 25 states will have measures of college and career readiness in their new ESSA state accountability model. 10 states are continuing to discuss the inclusion of a measure and 16 states do not have any plans for college- and career-ready measures.

Why the change in state measures? Some part of the change is due to the public perception of the “honesty gap.” For years, high school graduation rates have been improving. The United States currently has the highest graduation rate in the history of the nation—over 80 percent. However, the postsecondary remediation rate in some states is over 70 percent of high school graduates. This means that a high school diploma does not validate that a student is academically prepared for college credit-bearing courses. Also, the research has been very clear that many of America’s high school graduates are not prepared for entry level academic and/or technical programs that lead to jobs that pay a living wage.

States have been responding to these concerns. Council of Chief State School Officers and numerous other national and regional organizations have been responding to the “honesty gap” issue and one of the strongest policy responses is to include college and career readiness in the state accountability model.

However, there is a growing concern with the models that I have seen to this point. Most states have been using a “menu” model for state accountability. Schools will be held accountable based on the percentage of students who choose among menu options. The menu of college and career indicators usually includes student performance on Advance Placement, dual credit courses, International Baccalaureate exams, WorkKeys, SAT, ACT, Accuplacer, completion of a CTE course of study, ASVAB, and industry-recognized certifications. These measures are good measures, however, there are some potential pitfalls that states should avoid or we will find that many students are pushed toward measures that are seen as “lesser than” measures and most of these are aligned with the career-ready label.

“Career ready” should be a measure that ALL students who graduate from high school have obtained. Whether a student is preparing to become a surgeon or obtain a two-year technical credential, ALL students need to have academic preparation equal to the requirements of entry-level postsecondary courses. While some students will focus primarily on the academic measures, many students will already know that they have an interest in a career area and these students should have an opportunity to gain the technical skills that will give them advance credit and preparation for their future studies.

The bottom line is that career readiness needs to be something all students strive for as a graduation measure and must include measures of both academic and technical skills. College readiness should be a subset of career readiness and only ensures a student is academically prepared to enter postsecondary credit bearing courses. If the career-ready measures used by our states are a “lesser than” model, then we will continue to perpetuate the myth that “career-ready courses are for those other students and not for my students.” Our nation has a perception problem when it comes to career education in high school and we have a great opportunity to address that problem with the ESSA accountability models. If readers want to see a few states that have good models of career-ready measures, I refer them to the Delaware, Tennessee and Louisiana plans that can be found at www.ccsso.org/essa.

*The opinions expressed in this piece are not formal ACTE policy positions.

New ESSA State Plan Guidance Released

On March 9, the Senate followed the House by voting to overturn regulations issued by the Obama Administration to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Using the Congressional Review Act, Senators voted to repeal the regulations relating to accountability and state plans, which had been issued last November, by a vote of 50-49.

With the submission of state plans looming, this repeal left uncertainty among education leaders as to next steps in ESSA implementation. To fill the void, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos released a scaled-down state plan template on March 13. Other materials, including a set of frequently asked questions, a letter to Chief State School Officers and a crosswalk to the previous state plan template, are included in the guidance package as well.

The documents state that “The revised template includes only those descriptions and information that the Secretary has determined are absolutely necessary for the Department’s full consideration of each State’s consolidated plan.” However, many education stakeholders have expressed concern about elements no longer included in the plan requirements, particularly the elimination of requirements to describe stakeholder involvement.

The deadlines for state plan submission—either April 3 or September 18, remain the same. However, states that choose the April 3 deadline may have until May 3 to allow the state’s governor time to review the plan submitted under the new template, as required by the statute. States may also choose to submit their plan using an alternative template, developed in conjunction with the Council of Chief State School Officers.

House Votes to Axe ESSA Accountability and Teacher Prep Rules

Recently, the House of Representatives voted to overturn several of the Obama Administration’s regulations on education. The first rule addresses state accountability under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The regulation was finalized by the Department of Education under President Obama in November, but enforcement of the rule was suspended when the new Administration took over in January. It was intended to clarify use of multiple measures, including new indicators of school quality and student success, in state accountability systems, as well as the design and delivery of state and district annual report cards.

The move has raised uncertainties about how states should proceed in completing and submitting their ESSA plans. The new Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who was narrowly confirmed to lead the department last week, attempted to assuage concerns in a recent letter to state school chiefs. She pledged to keep the Obama Administration’s state plan submission deadlines (either April 3 or September 18, 2017), though she indicated that the department will create a revised plan template that includes only the information that is “absolutely necessary” for states to submit. This could prove problematic for states that have largely finished their plans, as the new template will not be available until mid-March.

The House also moved to block a rule affecting teacher preparation programs that was finalized in October. It requires states to report on the quality of both traditional teacher preparation as well as alternative routes to teaching programs, and to link program quality to eligibility for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education grants. Both measures are part of a larger effort by the White House and congressional Republicans to roll back many of the regulations implemented by the previous Administration.

Inaugural Federal Education Innovation and Research Grants

Earlier this month, the Department of Education announced its first Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grant competition, newly authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act. This new grant program builds on the prior “Investing in Innovation (i3)” competition and is designed to support “state and local efforts to develop, implement and take to scale innovative and evidence-based projects.”

In this new competition, however, both states and local school districts are eligible to apply for funding, and they may also collaborate with a wide range of groups to implement projects.

Three types of grants will be available:

• Early-phase grants: For the development, iteration, implementation, and feasibility testing of practices that are expected to be novel and significant relative to others that are underway nationally.
• Mid-phase grants: For funding to support scaling of projects supported by moderate evidence for at least one population or setting to the regional level  or to the national level. 
• Expansion-phase grants: For funding for grantees to scale projects that are supported by strong evidence for at least one population and setting and thus are ready to be implemented at the national level.

Applications for EIR grants are due April 13, 2017, but an intent to apply should be submitted by February 13. Winners will be announced in the fall of 2017, although the total available is still subject to congressional appropriations.

Department Announces Final ESSA Rules on Accountability, State Plans and Reporting

Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced its final regulations on the accountability, reporting, and state plan provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The rules address the use of multiple measures, including new indicators of school quality and student success, in state accountability systems, design and delivery of state and district annual report cards, and development of state plans across ESSA programs.

The final regulations make a few important changes from the draft version released in June. As noted in ACTE’s fact sheet on ESSA accountability, states must develop an accountability system that includes measures of student academic achievement as well as non-academic indicators of school quality or student success, which can include career readiness indicators. Under the draft rule, these additional indicators would need to be supported by research that shows the measure contributes to student achievement, or in the case of high schools, higher graduation rates. Because this standard would likely have been too restrictive to allow for many non-academic indicators, and with the urging of ACTE and other education stakeholders, the department broadened the standard in its final rule. It now states that the measure must be supported by research demonstrating that it helps “increase student learning, such as grade point average, credit accumulation, or performance in advanced coursework, or for high schools, graduation rates, postsecondary enrollment, persistence, or completion, or career success.”

You can read a summary of the final rule here. For more ESSA implementation updates, follow the CTE Policy Watch Blog.

New ESSA Guidance on Well Rounded Education

The U.S. Department of Education has released its latest batch of non-regulatory guidance on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)—this time focusing on student support services funded through the new Title IV block grant. Under Title IV, Part A of ESSA, states and school districts have flexible funding that can be used to support activities that advance the use of technology in the class­room, improve school climate and provide students with a well-rounded education. ESSA includes CTE in the definition of a well-rounded education, alongside other critical sub­jects that contribute to the academic and career success of all students.  

The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grant in Title IV of ESSA specifically provides funding for school districts to offer college and career guidance programs, which may include career awareness and exploration activities. It also allows districts to offer counselor professional development opportunities focused on utilizing labor market information to enhance student advisement on in-demand career pathways.

Additionally, the department has provided guidance on supporting school reforms through Title I funding for dis­advantaged students. ESSA allows those schools in greatest need of assistance, op­erating a schoolwide program, to provide opportunities for students to earn postsecondary credit while still in high school, which can include offeringing CTE dual or concurrent enrollment programs.

For more information, read ACTE’s CTE in ESSA fact sheets on Career Guidance and Counseling and Academics and CTE in the Classroom. Additional ESSA implementation resources are available on our website and the CTE Policy Watch Blog.

ED Releases Guidance on Supporting Educators in ESSA

The U.S. Department of Education recently released non-regulatory guidance that encourages states and school districts to train, recruit and provide high-quality professional development for teachers, principals and school leaders as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Funds provided to states and districts through ESSA Title II, Part A support career success for educators. The guidance focuses on the importance of aligning state strategies that promote effective instruction and improve student outcomes. The full guidance is available here.

Through funding provide under Title II of ESSA, states and districts have the option to offer specialized professional development that focuses on strategies for integrating academics and CTE. These programs encourage teachers to identify linkages across subjects, while providing common planning time to coordinate lesson plans and pedagogy. Title II also promotes efforts to develop or expand alternative routes to state certification of teachers, including mid-career professionals from other fields and occupations who want to become educators. For more information, read ACTE’s CTE in ESSA fact sheet on Teacher Recruitment, Training and Professional Development. Additional ESSA implementation resources are available on our website and the CTE Policy Watch Blog.

New ESSA College and Career Ready Resources Available

The College and Career Readiness and Success Center at the American Institutes for Research recently released some new resources to support states’ efforts to promote college and career readiness as part of the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). It includes a publication on developing a state policy framework that aligns college- and career-readiness priorities with the appropriate provisions of ESSA. They particularly focus on the areas of the law that impact CTE, such as well-rounded education, which now includes CTE, as well as state accountability systems, which may incorporate measures of career readiness.

More ESSA resources are available on our website, and you can follow the latest updates on ESSA implementation on the CTE Policy Watch Blog.

New ESSA Implementation Resources

As the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) moves forward, there are new tools available on engaging K-12 education stakeholders, including the CTE community, in the process. Understanding ESSA, a new website from the Collaborative for Student Success, aggregates state-by-state information on implementation, including announcements for upcoming state outreach events, news updates and links to state resources.  The Council of Chief State School Officers has a guide for stakeholder outreach that includes practical tips for states to engage ESSA stakeholders as well as examples of best practices that states are already using. ACTE has published a series of fact sheets on the CTE components of ESSA available here, and all of our online ESSA resources are available here.

Additionally, ACTE and Advance CTE submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Education’s draft federal regulations on the accountability, reporting and state plan provisions of ESSA. Specifically, our comments address the use of new indicators of school quality and student success, including career readiness measures, in state accountability systems as well as the design and delivery of state and district annual report cards that can include CTE student performance data. Our full comments are available here.