Commentary: Earlier today the U.S. Department of Education released its regulations on the Every Student Succeeds Act.
The following can be attributed to National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen García.
“Innovation. Opportunity. Collaboration. These were our hopes for the Every Student Achieves Act.. But the regulations released today by the Department of Education fall short, and we can not short change our nation’s students.
“Just last week I testified before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on ESSA. I said that ESSA has reinvigorated the national conversation about equal opportunity for all our students, no matter what zip code they live in. These regulations mute that conversation.
“These regulations attempt to circumvent congressional intent and create ripples that extend far beyond the regulations to which they pertain. What happened to empowering educators and students to return their focus to teaching and learning? What happened to using a dashboard of indicators to determine a school’s success? Have we not learned anything from No Child Left Behind?
“Sec. King is essentially erasing ESSA and replacing it with No Child Left Behind 2.0. What happened to President Obama’s campaign pledge to get rid of high-stakes standardized testing? Does he want his legacy to be that of an unfilled promise to our students, to be known as the President of Testing?
“NEA applauded Congress when it passed the bipartisan Act after listening to the voices of educators speaking on behalf of their students’ needs. ESSA had the potential to be a game-charger, but only if it lived up to its original purpose—to ensure that all students succeed. ESSA opened a window to a new direction for our students and schools. These regulations close that window, and our students are being denied the opportunities we promised them.”