Overview
Purpose: ESSA funds K-12 education throughout the nation and emphasizes equitable access to education, high standards and accountability.
Status: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, originally passed in 1965, was reauthorized by Congress in December 2015 and renamed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The U.S. Department of Education reviewed and approved state ESSA plans, which were submitted in 2017 to be implemented in the 2018-19 school year.
Connection to Career Technical Education (CTE): ESSA both encouraged and allowed states to incorporate CTE into their ESSA state plans through an emphasis on a “well-rounded education” (which includes CTE programs and activities) and the opportunity to embed CTE and career readiness measures within state accountability systems. The flexibility that comes with ESSA has allowed states to coordinate services among CTE, workforce development and higher education.
Resources on Understanding ESSA
- Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Full text of ESSA
- Intersections and Opportunities for CTE (February 2016)
A brief summary of ESSA’s key provisions and an overview of opportunities for alignment with ESSA and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006
Resources on ESSA Implementation
Mapping Career Readiness in ESSA Plans
- Full Report from Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group (December 2017)
Background on ESSA and an analysis of each state plan in terms of career readiness - Appendix from Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group (December 2017)
- A table outlining how each state addressed career readiness in its ESSA plan
- Presentation Slides and Recording (January 2018)
Materials from webinars exploring Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group’s analysis of ESSA state plans and trends across states - Destination Known: Valuing College AND Career Readiness in State Accountability Systems (March 2017)
- A roadmap from Education Strategy Group and the Council of Chief State School Officers showing the measures states can use in an accountability system to support all students in achieving success after high school, as well as strategies for putting that accountability system into practice
- Career-Ready Indicator Profiles: These profiles explore how leading states are designing meaningful, career-focused indicators