ESEA: FLEXIBILITY INSTEAD OF
REAUTHORIZATION
N E W J E R S E Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F F E D E R A L
P R O G R A M A D M I N I S T R AT O R S
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
REAUTHORIZATION STATUS
• Earliest-2017
• Efforts to date
 June 2013: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor
and Pensions (HELP) presents Strengthening America’s
Schools Act of 2013
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Increased focus on early childhood education
Equity focus
Support for flexibility
Support for great teachers and leaders
http://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ESEA%20Summary%206.4.13.pdf
REAUTHORIZATION STATUS
• Efforts to date
 July 2013: House Education and Workforce Committee
approves Student Success Act
 Four pillars:
1. Reducing Federal Footprint
2. Supporting Effective Teachers
3. Empowering Parents
4. Restoring Local Control
http://edworkforce.house.gov/studentsuccessact/
REAUTHORIZATION STATUS
• Efforts to date
 July 2014: Discussion Draft from House Budget Committee:
Expanding Opportunity in America
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Title I converted to block grant (must serve low-income)
Funds follow children to school of choice
Performance assessments continue
Report cards continue
http://budget.house.gov/uploadedfiles/expanding_opportunity_in_america.pdf
REAUTHORIZATION STATUS
• Areas of Conflict
 Federalism: federal vs. state
 Focus: flexibility vs. specific groups
 Cost vs. Effectiveness
• Under Discussion
Linkages: Title I/IDEA: Title I/IDEA/Head Start
• Obama Administration’s Response
Executive action via waivers
ESEA FLEXIBILITY WAIVERS
• Why:
 Support states’ efforts to improve instructional
quality and academic achievement
• When
 States invited to apply in 2011
 Effective for 2012-2013
 Two year approval period (2012-2013 and 20132014)
ESEA FLEXIBILITY WAIVERS
• What
 Curriculum
 Student achievement
 Teacher evaluation
• Who
 43 states with waivers
 5 states without waivers (CA, MT, ND, NE, VT)
 3 states/jurisdictions under review (BIE, WY, IA)
ESEA FLEXIBILITY WAIVERS
• November 2013: States invited to apply for one-year renewal
of waiver
 Covers 2014-2015 school year
 Renewal Application
 Must articulate changes from initial waiver application
 Must respond to ESEA Flexibility Monitoring findings
 More intense review than initial applications
 21 states approved between July 2014-September 2014
ESEA FLEXIBILITY WAIVERS
New Jersey’s Flexibility Extension Request
• Incorporated responses to USDE’s findings from ESEA Flexibility
Waiver monitoring (July 2013)
• Findings:
 Principle 2: Develop and Implement a State-Based System of
Differentiated Recognition, Accountability, and Support
 Priority Schools
 Focus Schools
 Other Title I Schools
ESEA FLEXIBILITY WAIVERS
Status of New Jersey’s Flexibility Extension Request
In Progress
• Pending Issues
 Accountability Addendum: Includes graduation rate
targets and goal
 Interventions for subgroups not meeting graduation rate
of 75% or 60%
 Other Title I Schools: Level of NJDOE interventions for
schools not meeting their progress targets
ESEA FLEXIBILITY WAIVERS
New Jersey’s Status for 2014-2015
• Continue implementation of initial flexibility waiver
• 2014 School and District Progress Targets released
end of September/early October
 More schools not meeting annual progress targets
 First increase in graduation rate target (75%  78%)
ESEA: FLEXIBILITY INSTEAD OF
REAUTHORIZATION
New Jersey Department of Education
Office of Supplemental Educational Programs
titleone@doe.state.nj.us
• Title I, Part A: Improving The Academic Achievement Of The Disadvantaged
• N.J.A.C. 6A:15: Bilingual Education
• Title III: Language Instruction For Limited English Proficient Students And
Immigrant Students
• N.J.A.C: 6A:17: Education Of Homeless Children
• Title X, Part C: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Program
• Title I, Part C: Education of Migratory Children