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Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA)
What is ESEA?
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) covers all states, school
districts, and schools that accept Title I-A federal grants. Title I grants provide
funding for supplemental education programs for children who attend high poverty
public schools, and in some private school programs. Some components of ESEA
apply to non-Title I schools as well as those that receive Title I funding.
ESEA emphasizes accountability (through testing, evaluation and school reporting)
and improving the quality of teaching in classrooms (through highly qualified
requirements and ongoing professional development). ESEA is due for
reauthorization again and is currently under review by the federal government and
various state and federal educational organizations. It is anticipated that in
addition to changes in the law, the name will be changed from No Child Left Behind,
with the new law coming sometime between now and 2013.
The major focus of Title I-A in ESEA is on reading and math achievement, although
other subject areas and programs are sometimes included as well. Title I-A works
to support activities to change the total school culture to one of continuous
progress and improvement for all students. This includes the development by
teams at each Title I school of Continuous Improvement Plans. Parents are always
encouraged to be a part of this planning process—both by completing annual
satisfaction surveys each spring and by participating on the planning teams.
Maine Consolidated School receives Title I services.
Services may include:
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intensive math or reading instruction through RTI (Response to Intervention);
technology support in computer labs and classrooms;
before or after-school tutoring;
summer and intersession classes;
family involvement programs and activities;
ongoing professional development for staff.
In addition to Title I-A, the largest component of ESEA, the law also includes the
following programs:
• Title I-D: Neglected & Delinquent
• Title II-A: Highly Qualified Teachers and Paraprofessionals
• Title II-D: Technology Integration in Classrooms
• Title III: Bilingual Education
• Title IV: Safe & Drug Free Prevention Programs
Qualifications of Teachers and Paraprofessionals
Title II-A: Highly Qualified Teachers sets minimum qualifications for all teachers—
in both Title and non-Title schools.
Highly-Qualified Teachers
All “core-subject” teachers must meet the criteria for "highly qualified" (HQ). Core
subjects include all elementary teachers and teachers at the middle and high school
who teach language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, music, art, foreign
languages, and special education. In order to meet HQ requirements, teachers
must have a minimum of a bachelors degree and have passed a state test of
subject knowledge or, in the case of some middle and high school positions, have
proof of a minimum of 24 credit hours in the specific content area.
MCSD boasts a highly qualified staff across every grade level and content area.
All teachers must also hold a valid certification from the state of Arizona and have a
current fingerprint clearance.
In addition to these requirements for teachers, paraprofessionals (instructional
assistants in the classroom) who work in Title I schools must have completed two
years of college or pass a state-approved test that assesses their ability to support
teachers in reading, writing, and math instruction.
Parents' Right to Know Teacher Qualifications
If your child attends a Title I school, you are entitled to information about your
child's teacher and/or paraprofessional. You are entitled to know if the teacher:
• Meets Arizona state qualifications and licensing requirements;
• What degree(s) your child's teacher holds; and
• The qualifications of the paraprofessional working with your child.
Proficiency Testing of Children
By the 2013-2014 school year, ESEA requires that all children will be at the
proficient level on state testing. In Arizona, this is the AIMS test in reading, writing
and mathematics. Additionally, science is administered to all students in grades 4,
8 and high school.
Adequate Yearly Progress
AYP or Adequate Yearly Progress is a measure used by states to determine if
schools and districts are meeting the high expectations of ESEA. The ESEA goal is
that 100% of students meet or exceed Arizona Academic Standards by Spring
2014. This is referred to as “proficiency.”
In order to meet the 100% goal, schools and districts must meet specific objectives
each year over the next several years. These are referred to as Annual Measurable
Achievement Objectives (AMAO) and are calculated based on the gap between
where students are currently achieving and the ultimate goal of 100% proficiency.
Two additional factors impact AYP.
• Attendance for Grades 3-8 must be 90% or higher. MCSD's attendance rate for FY11 was 93%.
• Percent of students tested on AIMS must be 95% or higher. MCSD tested 99% of students.
Additionally, Arizona’s statewide ELL program sets requirements for a minimum of 19%
of students in each of three grade level groupings (K-5, 6-8 and 9-12) to: (a)
demonstrate substantial progress in acquiring English; and (b) be reclassified annually—
or test out of the English Language Learner designation. In 2010-2011, MCSD exceeded
both of these requirements for all grade spans by a substantial margin.
Adequate Yearly Progress is calculated in several ways—first, on the total of all students
in the district and then on various subgroups of students: racial and ethnic groups,
English language learners, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged
students.
Nearly every grade level’s ethnic or racial groups, as well as economically
disadvantaged students, made AYP. Math was the primary area of concern both
districtwide and statewide, but math scores are expected to rise substantially in FY13.
Transfers from Schools Not Meeting AYP
If your Title I School does not meet its AYP goal for two consecutive years, any
child in the school may choose to attend another MCSD school that did make AYP.
This is called “School Choice” under ESEA. Families are notified of this option each
summer and provided at least a 14-day window for requesting school choice.
Transportation is provided if a family chooses, and is paid by Title I until the
sending school raises its AYP rate to an acceptable level. Once the sending school
meets AYP, the child may continue to attend the school choice site through the
highest grade at that school, but transportation must be provided by the family.
Restructuring Failing Schools
If a school fails to make its AYP goal for four years, the school enters a planning
phase to restructure the school. This may include replacing school staff responsible
for the low achievement, hiring an outside expert to advise the school on how to
make progress towards its AYP goal, implementing a new curriculum, reorganizing
the school’s management structure.
If a school fails to make AYP for five consecutive years, the school district may
replace
the principal and staff, contract with a private firm to run the school or reopen as a
charter school.
Does MCSD Have a Plan for Raising AYP?
Yes. Several initiatives are underway to increase student achievement for all students.
Teachers and administrators are involved in an ongoing process that allows teachers to
work together to identify specific learning goals and strategies to help all students. At
the elementary level, each school utilizes the RTI, or Response to Intervention,
framework which targets assistance in specific skills with small groups of students 30
minutes each day. Students who are still learning basic English participate daily in a
special four-hour English language development program.
Finally, teachers and administrators are involved in a wide array of continuing
professional development to keep current with best practices and to improve their own
skills. This includes a three-year process to develop curriculum and implement
instruction based on new national “Common Core Standards.”
Want to know more? Please contact your child’s teacher or school principal!
Right-to-Know
ESEA includes several right-to-know items specifically for parents and guardians.
Military Recruiters—ESEA requires high schools to release student contact
information to military recruiters. However, parents have the right to request that
the contact information on their children not be released to a military recruiter. A
form to request that student information not be shared is included in each high
school student handbook.
Prayer Policy—ESEA ensures that schools will not prevent or deny students’
participation in constitutionally protected prayer.
Other ESEA Programs in MCSD
Homeless Assistance—Title I provides services to families in transitional living
situations, including those living in motels, shelters, campgrounds/forest/car, or
doubled up with friends or relatives because of a hardship. Students living with
someone other than a parent or legal guardian are also included. Students in
transition have the right to enroll in school regardless of documentation (i.e. birth
certificates, immunization records, proof of residency). They are eligible for the
free breakfast and lunch program and have the right to stay at the school they
attended before the transition, with the district providing transportation to and from
school. Families needing assistance should contact the District’s HomeStart Liaisons
at 606-1515 or 774-1103.
Federal Education Resources
For more information and fact sheets, visit the U.S. Department of Education
website at www.ed.gov
For more information on Arizona’s educational programs, visit the Arizona
Department of Education website at: www.ade.az.gov
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