The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

It was like a scene out of “The Wizard of Oz”. Only in the Montana Education version Dorothy’s house did not land on the wicked witch of the north but instead landed on what was left of “No Child Left Behind” to everyone’s relief. Out of the ashes has sprung “Every Student Succeeds Act”.

In Big Sandy, Superintendent Brad Moore was all smiles as he explained the new and streamlined education act that was signed into law by President Obama late in 2015.

Superintendent Moore said, “The biggest thing for us is that we will be in charge of how we use the measurement data. We will set our standards rather than measuring up to standards set by the government.”

Superintendent Moore continued that this year is involved with putting together a plan by educators across Montana. It is Montana educators putting a plan together for Montana students rather than the Federal Government putting a plan together.

Moore said that right now educators across the state are involved in writing that plan.

In a letter that Senator Jon Tester wrote to Education Secretary John King, Tester said, “We all share the goal of ensuring that every single one of our children has the opportunity to go to a good school that prepares them for a successful future. But as a former teacher and school board member from a rural state, I strongly caution you to avoid the mistakes of No Child Left Behind and ensure that local voices aren’t drowned out by aggressive federal regulations.”

Tester continued by saying, “I voted for ESSA because it promised to give families, teachers, school administrators, school boards, state officials and tribal leaders the flexibility they needed to choose the policies that best meet the needs of their students-------because what works in one state may not work in another. But I believe the following provisions in the Department’s proposed rule will narrow state and local stakeholder’s choices as they work to develop new accountability systems.”

In Montana, the Office of Public Instruction explained what the new law does and does not do.

“On December 10, 2015 President Barack Obama signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reauthorizing the 1965 elementary and secondary education Act. Since 2001 states have been operating under the ESEA amendment known as No Child Left Behind which expired in 2007 but had never been updated or reauthorized.

No Child Left Behind created a series of unattainable measures by which to grade student success and student performance eventually requiring 100% of students to be proficient on an annual standardized test.

Every Student Succeeds rolls back those requirements and instead will give states the ability to develop their own accountability plans. The new law places a stronger emphasis on child wellbeing and recognizes that one high-stakes test is not a reasonable way to measure performance.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction will now dig into the new education law, line by line, to develop a strategy for moving forward. This process will take time, and school leaders, parents, and students should not anticipate noticeable changes during this window.

“For the first time in more than a decade, Montana educators will have a seat at the table in developing an education accountability and achievement model that will work for Montana students,” said Superintendent Juneau. “Now the real work begins as we build upon the programs and ideas that have resulted in Montana’s highest ever graduation rate.”

Every student will

• Eliminate the federally-mandated school-grading system known as Adequate Yearly Progress and will allow states to develop their own accountability measures.

• Still require an annual statewide assessment in grades 3 through 9 and once in high school, but will no longer be the only measure of school and student success.

• Include ongoing support for the Preschool Development Grant, giving more children access to free, quality preschool.

• Integrate school improvement grand funding under Title I, giving states the same amount of annual funding, with greater flexibility in how to use the money.

• Include a literacy program that will build on the success Montana’s Striving Readers program has developed.

• The Office of Public Instruction will be required to submit its new accountability plan to the US Department of Education for its approval. Any new accountability plan wouldn’t take effect until the 2917/2918 school year.”