Regulatory

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is a law that was introduced in the Senate by Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on April 30, 2015. ESSA was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 10, 2015. The purpose of this act was to replace and update the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which was signed into law in 2002. Like NCLB, ESSA reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965.”

What is the purpose of ESSA?

According to the statement of purpose in ESSA, “The purpose of this title is to provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps.”

What is the biggest difference between NCLB and ESSA?

Although ESSA retained the annual standardized testing requirements from NCLB, the law moved the federal accountability aspect to the States. The State, in turn, still submit an accountability plan to the Education Department, however, ESSA allows for local educational agencies may apply for subgrants for local accountability plans.

ESSA requires extensive federal and state policymaking to implement. This page is your resource for information on the latest federal and state regulations.

General Information

Read official information from USDOE at www.ed.gov/essa.

Final Federal Regulations

The US Department of Education has released its final regulations for Accountability and State Plans under the ESSA. The document is available via the federal register. A brief 6-page summary is also available.

Download ESSA Fact Sheet

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Arizona Department of Education State Plan

Read the latest draft of the Arizona ESSA state implementation plan here.

Additional Information

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