FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM EDUCATIONAL REVIEW!
ESSA UPDATE
In a letter to Chief State School Officers, the Secretary provided clarity on Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) implementation, in light of the actions related to the postponement of the accountability regulations and the Congressional Review Act. The letter emphasizes that states should continue to move forward and that the Department will work to ensure that state education leaders have the flexibility that Congress intended. States should continue to follow the timeline for developing and submitting plans for review and approval, building on the work they have already completed.
The Department will provide further guidance on the state plan requirements by March 13.
“States have been working diligently on ESSA plans,” the Secretary stated, “and today’s letter makes clear that the Department remains committed to faithfully implementing the law as Congress intended. I remain committed to working alongside local education leaders to ensure they have the flexibility to craft educational plans that make the most sense for the parents and students they serve.”
Read the Letter HERE!:
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/secl... ********************************
TITLE IX GUIDANCE
In a statement, the Secretary announced the Departments of Justice and Education were withdrawing statements of policy and guidance requiring access to s*x-segregated facilities based on gender identity (new guidance)(https://www.justice.gov/…/press-relea…/file/941551/download…. ).
“We have a responsibility to protect every student in America and ensure that they have the freedom to learn and thrive in a safe and trusted environment. This is not merely a federal mandate, but a moral obligation no individual, school, [school] district, or state can abdicate. At my direction, the Department’s Office for Civil Rights remains committed to investigating all claims of discrimination, bullying, and harassment against those who are most vulnerable in our schools.
“The guidance issued by the previous administration has given rise to several legal questions. As a result, a federal court in August 2016 issued a nationwide injunction barring the Department from enforcing a portion of its application. Since that time, the Department has not enforced that part of the guidance, thus there is no immediate impact to students by rescinding this guidance.
“This is an issue best solved at the state and local level. Schools, communities, and families can find -- and, in many cases, have found -- solutions that protect all students.
“I have dedicated my career to advocating for and fighting on behalf of students, and as Secretary of Education, I consider protecting all students, including LGBTQ students, not only a key priority for the Department, but for every school in America.
“We owe all students a commitment to ensure they have access to a learning environment that is free of discrimination, bullying, and harassment.
Posted By: agnes levine
Monday, February 27th 2017 at 12:15PM
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