Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Impact of the ESSA on TennesseeDraft plan available for public comment
Read Tennessee's draft ESSA plan—or whichever sections interest you—and provide your feedback by Jan. 31. To go straight to the draft plan, click here. To see a section-by-section breakout and provide feedback on the public comment form, click here.
ESSA Regional Town Halls
It will take all of us to ensure that Tennessee students receive an education that prepares them to be successful, and that is why your thoughts, ideas, input, and feedback are critical to ensuring we have the right approach. Please plan on joining the Commissioner and department leadership at an ESSA Regional Town Hall nearest you.
In Tennessee, we have laid a firm foundation for our students’ future by raising standards to a more rigorous level that will prepare them for college and careers; establishing fully aligned assessments to ensure all of our students are developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills; and by using evaluation and accountability systems based on multiple factors.
ESSA builds on this work by reaffirming the importance of standards, assessment, and accountability and through empowering states to make decisions for our kids. ESSA replaces No Child Left Behind and will go into effect in August 2016. Tennessee will remain on its previously approved waiver until then, and all states are required to fully transition to ESSA by the 2017-18 school year.
Much of the work we have outlined in our recent waiver – which was developed with extensive stakeholder engagement – and in our strategic plan is in sync with the new law and will allow for a seamless transition. The department has been gathering feedback from Tennessee’s educators, key advocates, parents, students, and the public on specific policies. The feedback is informing a Tennessee-specific ESSA plan that will guide the department’s work over the coming years and help the department capitalize on the new law’s empowerment of local leadership.
Resources
- May 2016 press release on launch of statewide ESSA feedback tour
- May 2016 blog post from Commissioner Candice McQueen
- May 2016 ESSA input sessions presentation
- Chart outlining ESSA requirements and current Tennessee law
- October status report on the ESSA plan
- ESSA town hall survey
- December 2016 ESSA town hall presentation
- ESSA opportunities document (handout at the town halls)
- Video of the ESSA town hall presentation
- December 2016 draft ESSA state plan