What's Next for Low-Performing Schools? State Plans Related to the Every Student Succeeds Act

• In Event: 29.077 - Special Interest Group to the Every Student Succeeds Act: New Lessons in School Turnaround

Abstract

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has ushered in a new era of flexibility for state policies and practices related to low-performing schools. Will the states make changes? What aspects of change will need additional support? This descriptive, mixed methods study uses survey data from turnaround leaders in all 50 states and an extant document review of state school-improvement policies prior to ESSA. The study found that state leaders are planning changes in policies and practices for low-performing schools in response to ESSA and that prior policies related to reforming the day-to-day operations in low-performing schools were related to the extent of these plans. Furthermore, state leaders believed their states needed additional assistance with several aspects of ESSA implementation.

Authors

• Caitlin Scott, Education Northwest

• Steve Fleischman, Education Northwest