ESEA-NCLB Reauthorization and Family Engagement:
Federal Policy Update
Vito Borrello
Legislative Committee Member
National PTA
Mollie Van Lieu
Senior Policy Strategist
National PTA
Agenda
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Family Engagement
Family Engagement in Education Act
ESEA overview
Family Engagement in ESEA/waiver process
Discussion
Family Engagement Definition
From Dr. Heather Weiss from Harvard Family Research Project
First, family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and
other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching
out to engage families in meaningful ways and in which families are
committed to actively supporting their children's learning and
development.
Second, family engagement is continuous across a child's life and entails
enduring commitment but changing parent roles as children mature into
young adulthood.
Third, effective family engagement cuts across and reinforces learning in
the multiple settings where children learn- at home, in pre-kindergarten
programs, in school, in after school programs, in faith-based institutions,
and in the community.
Family Engagement: Reframing the
Work
From the National Family, School, and Community
Engagement Working Group
Research | Positive Student
Outcomes
Studies show that family engagement leads to:
•
Higher grades and test scores
• Enrollment in higher-level programs/classes
• Grade promotion and advanced credit accumulation
• Adaptation to school and improved attendance
• Better social skills and behavior
• On-time graduation and post-secondary matriculation
Henderson, A., & Mapp, K. (2002). A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on
student achievement. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.
Research from Anthony Byrk
 Anthony S. Bryk is the ninth president of The Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
 His current research and practice interests focus on the
organizational redesign of schools and school systems
and the integration of technology into schooling to
enhance teaching and learning
The following were essential in improving Chicago’s Urban Schools
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A coherent instructional guidance system
The school’s professional capacity
Strong parent-community-school ties
A student-centered learning climate
Leadership that drives change
Need for Teacher Preparation in
Family Engagement
 30% of current teachers surveyed have a
satisfactory relationship with families
 Gen Y teachers fear that their lack of
preparation to engage families will lead to
failure and burnout
National Standards for Family School
Partnerships
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Welcoming all Families
Communicating Effectively
Supporting Student Success
Speaking up for Every Child
Sharing Power
Collaborating with Community
Family Engagement in
existing ESEA law
Title I
Section 1118, Title I:
mandates that school
districts reserve at least
1% of their Title I funds
for family engagement
•
Written policy for family
engagement
Title V
Parental Information
and Resource Centers
(PIRCs)
•
Competitive grant
administered by ED, 62
statewide centers
building capacity of states
and school districts to
engage families
ESEA Reauthorization │Family
Engagement in Education
PTA views reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
(ESEA) as an opportunity to:
1.
Define what systemic, integrated, and sustainable family engagement
in education is (and what it is not);
2.
Set forth framework for investment in family engagement at local,
state, and federal levels; and
3.
Incentivize local and state innovation in family engagement as a driver
of education reform efforts via research-based strategies, practices,
and policies.
ESEA Reauthorization│Family
Engagement in Education Act
H.R. 2662 and S.1291 in 113th Congress
• House: Thompson (R-PA)/McCarthy (D-NY)
• Senate: Reed (D-RI)/Coons (D-DE)/Whitehouse (D-RI)
Provision
• Embeds standards in local plans
Title I, Local Education
Agencies
• Increases set-aside from 1 to 2%
Family Engagement in Education Act | 113th Congress
Provision
• Repeals PIRC and moves authorized activities within
Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund (Title I)
Family Engagement and
Responsibility Fund
• Mandatory use of Family Engagement and
Responsibility Fund (.3% reservation from
administrative funds)
• Competitive grant process judged/awarded by state
educational agency (SEA)
• Reports outcomes to SEA and ED via Title I reporting
mechanisms
Family Engagement in Education Act | 113th Congress
Provision
• Mandatory state-level reservation of no less than .3% Title I-A
allocation (from administrative funds) to fund:
Statewide Family
Engagement Centers
1) Statewide Family Engagement Center
2) Local Family Engagement Center(s)
3) SEA Capacity-building activities (optional)
• Special rule: states with $60 m allocation or less do not need
to establish both statewide and local centers
Family Engagement in Education Act | 113th Congress
Provision
• Mandatory use of funds (at least one) for
Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund
with priority on high-need/hard to serve
areas.
Local Family Engagement Centers
• To be accompanied by small state exemption,
where statewide center can serve both
purposes. In states receiving < $60 million
annual Title I-A Allocation
Family Engagement in Education Act | 113th Congress
Provision
• Optional use of funds from Family
Engagement and Responsibility Fund
remainder after grants to establish
State and Local centers
Capacity-building for State Educational
Agency
Small State: AK; DC; DE; HI; ID; ME; MT; ND; NH; RI; SD; VT; WY
Family Engagement in Education Act | 113th Congress
Provision
Research and Evaluation for Family
Engagement in Education
• Amend Title I, Part E (National
Assessment) to require biennial report,
dissemination of best practices by ED.
No additional funds.
•
Government Accountability Office
(GAO) report on implementation
Family Engagement in
Reauthorization
Provision
Senate
Democrat
House
Republican
Retention of 1% at local level for family engagement
X
X
Improvements to local family engagement (includes research based
standards for family-school partnership)
X
Increase local reservation to 2%
X
Inclusion of Family Engagement in state plan
X
Authorization of Statewide Family Engagement program infrastructure
X
Statewide Family Engagement Center in each state?
X
Establishment of Family Engagement and Responsibility Fund
X
ESEA-NCLB
(Elementary and Secondary Education Act – No Child Left Behind)
What is ESEA-NCLB?
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act
• Governs Federal investment in K-12 education
• Enacted in 1965
•Reauthorized as NCLB in 2001/2002
• “No Child Left Behind” is the name given to the 7th reauthorization
of the ESEA
• Expired in 2007
• Automatically extended upon expiration, but needs to be
reauthorized
• Reauthorization of ESEA
• House and Senate Committees passed bills in 2013
• ESEA flexibility
What is ESEA-NCLB?
Family
Engagement
in Education
• ESEA-NCLB comprised of 10 Titles
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged
Preparing, Training, and Recruiting High Quality Teachers and
Principals
Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and
Immigrant Students
21st Century Schools
Promoting Informed Parental Choice and Innovative Programs
Flexibility and Accountability
Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Education
Impact Aid Program
General Provisions
Repeals, Redesignations, and Amendments to Other Statutes
Title I
Largest Funding Stream in ESEA-NCLB
• More than $14 billion
Formula grants to states
• Combination of 4 formulas , complicated
Targeted to schools and districts with high concentration of
“disadvantaged” students
• Title I School/District = approx 40% + low-income students
May be used for preschool – high school
• 12% to preschool/K
• 65% to 1-6
• 23% to 7-12
Title I
Educational Needs Index for U.S. Counties
Levels of Educational Need
Most Critical
Critical
Less Critical
Least Critical
ESEA Reauthorization│113th
Congress
HOUSE
o Majority Party:
Republicans
o Ratio:
233 (R) : 200 (D) : 2 (I)
SENATE
o Majority Party:
Democrats
o Ratio:
54 (D) : 46 (R) : 2 (I)
ESEA Reauthorization│113th Congress
HOUSE (R-majority)
• Committee: Education and the Workforce
• Bill: H.R. 5, Student Success Act
• Focus: maximum flexibility
SENATE (D-majority)
• Committee: Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
(HELP)
• Bill: S. 1094, Strengthening America’s Schools
• Focus: reform of current structure
ESEA Reauthorization│House
H.R. 5 Student Success Act
• Committee Composition: 23 (R) : 18 (D)
• Passed Committee: 23 (R) YES : 16 (D) NO
• No Democrats vote yes
• Bill passes Committee on June 19, 2013
• House Composition: 233 (R) : 200 (D) : 2 (I)
• Passes House: 221 (R) YES : 207 NO
• No Democrats vote in favor of bill
• 12 Republicans vote against bill
• Bill passes House on July 19, 2013
• Sent to SENATE - HELP Committee on July 24, 2013
House Bill│PTA Response
Concerns:
• No state and local maintenance of effort;
• No cap on alternate assessment on alternate
achievement standards for special needs; and
• Essentially block grants
Plus:
• AYP eliminated
• Family Engagement at state and local level
ESEA Reauthorization│Senate
S. 1094, Strengthening America’s Schools Act
• HELP Committee Composition: 11 (D) : 10 (R) : 1 (I)
• Passes HELP Committee: 12 (D+I) YES : 10 (R) NO
• No Republicans vote in favor of bill
• Bill passes Committee on June 12, 2013
• Senate Composition: 54 (D) : 46 (R) : 2 (I)
• Yet to be debated on Senate Floor
• House Bill was Sent to Senate HELP Committee on July
24, 2013
Senate Bill│PTA Response
Concerns:
• “Four size fits all” turn around models
• Highly Qualified Teacher
• Family Engagement
• Lacked comprehensive equity
Plus:
• Early Childhood
• Equity protections within school districts
• School to Prison
• Teacher Evaluations based on multiple measures
• AYP replaced
• Family Engagement at state and local level
ESEA Reauthorization│Where
are we going this year?
ESEA Reauthorization│Let us count the
ways...
• Bills dramatically different
• Senator Harkin retiring
• Senator Alexander introduced voucher bill
• Chairman Kline term limits
• Election Season
• Waiver extended for one year
ESEA Reauthorization│Does it
matter?
ESEA Reauthorization│Waivers
ESEA Flexibility
Effort to provide regulatory relief to States
• States have to adopt all three policy priorities:
– Higher standards
– Differentiated accountability system
– Teacher/principal evaluation system based on growth
• 42 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are
approved for ESEA flexibility
• ED recently announced invitation for one year extension for
the Window 1 an 2 waiver states
ESEA/Family Engagement
Impact | State and Local
Your State’s Waiver Story and
Discussion
Mollie Van Lieu
Senior Policy Strategist
National PTA
mvanlieu@pta.org
Office: (703) 418-1240
Cell: (717) 476-183
Vito Borrello
National PTA Legislative
Committee Member