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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/24/2024 03:51 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20150&cosponId=19741
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: February 24, 2016 02:28 PM
From: Senator Andrew E. Dinniman and Sen. Lloyd K. Smucker
To: All Senate members
Subject: Affirming the Legislature’s Role in Executing the New Federal “Every Student Succeeds Act”
 


We will soon be introducing legislation to affirm the General Assembly’s role in implementing the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which has replaced the No Child Left behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 at the federal level.

The ESSA is a 1,061-page law which grants important decision-making powers to the states in crafting education policy. The ESSA calls upon the state Department of Education to engage in “meaningful consultation” with the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education in developing Pennsylvania’s State Plan, which addresses such important topics as under-performing schools, standardized testing requirements, early childhood education, teacher training and more.

With greater decision-making power delegated to the states, our bill ensures that the State Plan will be submitted to the chairs of the Senate and House Education Committees and to the full General Assembly for approval. The bill will also require periodic updates to the chairs during the development of the plan. The State Plan would be proposed as a resolution and be subject to the approval of a majority of the members of the General Assembly.

This bill would thus ensure legislative input and involvement in developing major education initiatives such as the following:
  • Statewide accountability systems, with an emphasis on schools performing in the lowest five percent
  • High-quality, individualized academic assessments in appropriate curriculum areas, employing the “principles of universal design,” as set forth in the federal law
  • Statewide standards that emphasize a challenging academic curriculum and a system of assessments that allow students to succeed in today’s economy
  • An annual, online state report card to track the progress of students and sub-groups of students, reflecting a respect for different student needs and learning styles
  • School stability requirements for children in foster care, reflecting the best interest of the child
  • The phase-out of School Improvement Grants and the launch of a new statewide system of technical assistance and support awards, and
  • Teacher evaluations.

In our shared goal to provide a world-class education for every student, we hope you will join us in affirming the Legislature’s role as active partners in establishing high-quality education policy in the Commonwealth.

Thank you for your consideration in working to advance federal academic objectives and adapt them to Pennsylvania’s own goals and objectives.


Introduced as SB1159