A Blueprint for Reform

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is a promise to fix the educational system and provide students with a more complete education. The Act ensures all students will contribute as citizens and thrive in a global economy. As we all know, the uneducated people of the country will financially cost the general public more as they are more likely to end up in institutions and on welfare. The ESEA is going to produce well-rounded citizens that are knowledgeable in finance, world languages, technology, science, mathematics, etc. President Obama reassures us that the Act is a fix to the NCLB era, and it will support states, districts, schools, principals, and teachers with resources and materials needed to move students to being prepared for college and careers.

The Reform will set standards that prepare students for college and careers. As students enter college, we have come to know that not everyone that graduates from high school is fully prepared to enter. Therefore, there is going to be more money set aside and granted to educate and develop teachers using data-driven and researched-based programs for implementation to prepare students for post-secondary education. This Reform will also have goals and initiatives to get everyone in the educational process on board and helping with the education of the students. Parents, teachers, administrators, and everyone at all levels of education will be assisting with closing the achievement gap. Resources and materials needed to prepare students will be aligned with the state standards to ensure college and career preparedness.

The Reform will create a fair accountability system that recognizes and rewards growth and progress. Many grants are available and ready to be given to reward schools that increase student achievement and close the achievement gaps. Schools that are not completing these tasks year after year will be labeled as "Challenge Schools" and will be given grants to implement interventions that will increase student achievement. These schools will be identified by the state as the schools in the bottom 5% of performance (U.S. Department of Education). Again, the interventions need to be data-driven and evidence-based, as they should be. The Reform will be providing money to better inform families through the use of school report cards. These are going to provide graduation rates, funding information, achievement levels, etc., about their child's school. This will create a family friendly climate and hopefully get more families involved in their child's schooling. Along with this, promoting family literacy will be addressed, as there are adults and parents that are illiterate, yet we expect them to want to be involved in their child's learning. Helping them feel like they are a part of the school will increase their support for their child.

The Act will provide flexibility to state and local educators to innovate and create local solutions. Many states are expected to work with post-secondary institutions and universities to upgrade their existing standards and ensure the students will not need the remedial classes and coursework. It is wasted money and time when students spend semesters taking classes that will not and do not count towards graduation or their degrees. The states are also going to be rewarded for their schools' growth and progress. The Act is going to "reward success rather than only identifying failure" (U.S. Department of Education). It is more of a race to the top for all schools with incentives as success happens. The states are able to be flexible with their "reward funds", as well. This is incentive enough to make the states push their districts and school to do well and for teachers to push their students.

The Act will focus rigorous, meaningful interventions and support for the lowest-performing schools that have not demonstrated any progress. Title I money has been allocated for accurate assessments, student growth, better measure of states' districts, and how schools, principals, and teachers educate students. It will help teachers adjust and focus their teaching and provide information to the students and their families. There will also be additional assessments for high schools that include science, history, foreign language, and technical subjects. The states will also be given grants to help provide specifically for migrant students, homeless students, and neglected and delinquent students.

These goals for the ESEA are very powerful and supportive to teachers, schools, districts, and states. However, in my opinion, it sounds very expensive, and while I can't think of a time where there should be a price on education, we do have a regressing economy on our hands. The Reform Act seems to respect teachers and rewards them for their successes in the classroom and for the student growth.