In 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which updates the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. This page provides links to resources and guidance documents on DC’s state activities, including compliance, monitoring, reporting, and completing the Consolidated Application for funding.
Click on the icons below to learn more about topics related to ESSA.
OSSE Statewide Assessment and Accountability:
DC’s 2026-27 Statewide Accountability Waiver Request
OSSE is requesting a one-year waiver for the 2026-27 school year from the following statutory requirements in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA):
- Statewide requirements in Section 1111(c)(4)(C) to meaningfully differentiate, on an annual basis, all public schools;
- Statewide requirements in Section 1111(c)(4)(D) to identify schools for comprehensive, targeted, and additional targeted support and improvement; and
- Statewide requirements in Section 1111(h)(1)(C)(i)(IV) to include the system for meaningful differentiation for all public schools on the annual state report card.
More information is available here.
DC’s 2022 ESSA State Plan
In 2022, OSSE proposed amendments to its ESSA State Plan first approved in August 2017 (see below). OSSE received approval from the US Department of Education (USED) on June 29, 2023.
Approvals from USED
- DC ESSA State Plan – 2022 Amendment (APPROVED VERSION)
- DC ESSA State Plan – USED Approval Letter (June 29, 2023)
- Press Release - District of Columbia ESSA State Plan Approved by U.S. Department of Education (July 5, 2023)
- 2022 DC State Plan Accountability Addendum - USED Approval (May 26, 2022)
- 2022 ESEA Section 1003(c) Waiver – USED Approval (April 22, 2022)
Submitted to the US Department of Education
- DC ESSA Plan - 2022 Amendment (REDLINE VERSION)
- 2022 DC State Plan Accountability Addendum
- 2022 DC State Plan Accountability Addendum – Appendix A (Adjusted Long Term Goals)
- 2022 DC State Plan Engagement Overview and Responses to Public Comments
- 2022 DC State Plan Accountability Addendum Public Comments
- 2022 DC State Plan Waiver – 1003 Funding Extension
- 2021 Statewide Assessment & Accountability Waiver Request
- 2020 Statewide Assessment & Accountability Waiver
Public Comment
- 2026-27 OSSE Statewide Accountability Waiver Request (public comment – coming soon)
- 2022 DC State ESSA Plan – 2022 Amendment (public comment)
- 2022 DC State Plan Accountability Addendum (public comment)
- 2022 DC State Plan Long Term Goals Two-Year Shift (Per Accountability Addendum) (public comment)
- 2022 DC State Plan Waiver – 1003 Funding Extension (public comment)
- 2022 Advanced Mathematics Assessment Waiver Extension Request (public comment)
DC’s 2017 State Plan
- Read the DC 2017 State Plan
- Press release about the US Department of Education approval of the DC State Plan in 2017
- More information about the 2017 ESSA plan's development
The Law
ESEA Guidance for LEAs
ESSA requires all states to distribute funds and resources to local education agencies (LEAs). OSSE developed guidance to support the District’s LEAs understand how they may utilize the funds available under ESSA.
Accountability and Waivers
ESSA requires all states to publish annual report cards at the school, local education agency (LEA), and state levels. The DC School Report Card reports out on ESSA-required elements as well as elements approved by the DC State Board of Education.
- DC State Plan Addendum and Waiver (public comments)
- Visit the DC School Report Card website
- DC School Report Card Resources
- DC School Report Card Technical Guide
Financial Reporting
ESSA requires all states to publish per-pupil expenditures for each local education agency (LEA) and school on the annual state report card.
- Financial Reporting Requirements Under ESSA
- New ESSA Fiscal Requirements: Supplement Not Supplant and Maintenance of Effort Update
- Fiscal Summaries
School Improvement
ESSA requires all states to designate schools into support and improvement categories based on their performance. Beginning in 2024, OSSE began using the Accelerate DC framework for this work, which you can read about below:
Questions
For more information or question, please contact [email protected].
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