Iowa Earns Approval for State Education Plan Under ESSA

Last week the U.S. Department of Education approved Iowa’s plan for school accountability and support under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Iowa’s plan reflects a commitment to ensuring every student graduates ready for success in college and in the workplace. 

Iowa’s plan builds on bold education improvement efforts underway that align with ESSA requirements, including clear and rigorous standards for what students should know and be able to do, a school accountability system that steers support where and when schools need it most and a structure for professional learning that emphasizes teacher leadership and evidence-based practices. The plan also features unique measures of student engagement, safety and learning environment, as well as postsecondary readiness. 

“We have the right roadmap in place for education, and I’m proud of the collaborative spirit with which this plan was developed,” Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise said. 

The Iowa Department of Education submitted the state’s ESSA plan in September 2017, following more than a year of development and feedback from stakeholders. The plan was then revised based on feedback from the U.S. Department of Education. Iowa’s final plan is available on the Iowa Department of Education’s website, along with a letter of approval from U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and a summary of substantial revisions to Iowa’s plan. 

About the Every Student Succeeds Act: ESSA, a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, was signed in 2015 and requires each state to have a plan for implementing the law. ESSA maintains the former No Child Left Behind Act’s focus on school accountability and equity for all students while shifting decision-making back to states and local school districts.