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:
2022 ESSA Plan Amendment
OSSE is proposing amendments to its ESSA State Plan first approved in August 2017. OSSE submitted the version below to the US Department of Education on Aug. 5, 2022.
ESSA State Plan Amendment Public Comment
OSSE is proposing amendments to its ESSA State Plan first approved in August 2017. To review the proposed amendments, there are two versions available. The redlined version shows revisions to the prior plan for easy comparison. The clean version shows the revised plan. The public may review the proposed plan and provide comments from June 1 through July 8, 2022. Please send all public comments to [email protected].
- ESSA Amendment – Accountability Revisions Presentation
- Proposed School Accountability Revisions Brochure
- DC ESSA Plan - 2022 Amendment (CLEAN VERSION)
- DC ESSA Plan - 2022 Amendment (REDLINE VERSION)
The final proposed changes will be posted on the website and reflect any revisions made as a result of public comment. The final accountability components of the plan will be presented to the State Board of Education (SBOE) in advance of their vote on the accountability system at their public meeting in July. Once approved by the SBOE, the ESSA state plan will be submitted to the US Department of Education for final approval. Implementation of the proposed changes would occur following the 2022-23 school year.
School Accountability ESSA Engagement
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is making improvements to the District’s school accountability framework - currently named the School Transparency and Reporting (STAR) Framework - and we need your feedback! We are focusing on three main priorities:
- Improving Equity of measuring school performance
- Improving measures of student growth
- Strengthening our measurements of:
- Attendance
- College and career readiness
- Gap closure for historically underserved students
- Students with disabilities
Do you have thoughts or feedback? OSSE welcomes everyone who wants to participate. Please let us know your thoughts in this survey! OSSE also hosted focus groups this spring (the deck is available here). OSSE is working to revise DC’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan for school accountability, which will then be submitted for approval to the State Board of Education (SBOE) and the US Department of Education (USED) this summer.
OSSE welcomes everyone who wants to participate. If you want additional context, review our engagement plan that we presented to the SBOE on March 2. We also recommend reviewing the STAR Framework Brochure and this STAR video, so that you are re-familiarized with the components and details of the current accountability framework prior to our discussions.
If your group would prefer to invite us to one of your existing meetings, please reach out to us at [email protected] with the date or dates of those meetings and we will try to accommodate those requests, as well. The meetings are all online using Microsoft Teams.
Ward Education Council Sessions
- Monday, April 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 13, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, April 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, April 27, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Parent Sessions
- Tuesday, April 19, 6-7 p.m.
- Monday, April 26, 6-7 p.m.
Education Advocacy Organization Settings
- Thursday, April 14, 1-2 p.m.
- Thursday, April 21, 6-7 p.m.
| Date | Time | Meeting Link |
| Wednesday, April 4 | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
| Wednesday, April 13 | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
| Thursday, April 21 | 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
| Wednesday, April 27 | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
Parent Sessions
| Date | Time | Meeting Link |
| Tuesday, April 19 | 6-7 p.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
| Monday, April 25 | 6-7 p.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
Education Advocacy Organization Sessions
| Date | Time | Meeting Link |
| Thursday, April 14 | 1-2 p.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
| Thursday, April 21 | 6-7 p.m. | Click here to join the meeting |
We look forward to engaging with you on these discussions this spring! We also look forward to reconnecting again later this year to discuss changes to the DC School Report Card design and improving how data is presented, explained and interacted with by the community.
Approvals from US Department of Education (USED)
- 2022 DC State Plan Accountability Addendum - USED Approval (May 26, 2022)
- 2022 ESEA Section 1003(c) Waiver – USED Approval (April 22, 2022)
Final and Submitted to the US Department of Education
- 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
- 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 State Plan
ESSA requires all states to submit a consolidated State plan for approval from the US Department of Education (USED)
- Read the DC State Plan
- Press release about the US Department of Education approval of the DC State Plan
- More information about the 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’s accountability system is called the School Transparency and Reporting (STAR) Framework.
- DC State Plan Addendum and Waiver (public comments accepted until Friday, Jan. 22, 2021)
- Visit the DC School Report Card website
- DC School Report Card Resources
- DC School Report Card & STAR Framework Technical Guide
- MSAA One Percent Waiver Request (July 30, 2019)
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. DC uses the STAR Framework to make these designations.
Questions
For more information or question, please contact [email protected].
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