ESSA stands for Every Student Succeeds Act and was passed in 2015 by congress. It is the main law that guides the public education system. According to Lee, ESSA grants each individual state the power to create their own education plans based on the mold set by the federal government (Lee, 2022). Most of the power when it came to education policy rested in the hands of the federal government but ESSA changed that. Basically Lee is saying that the whole system is changing and the federal government is giving the reins to the states. In Weiss’s and McGuinn’s view, ESSA helps states focus on and use their funding towards “supporting districts and schools in improving outcomes for all students” (Weiss and McGuinn, 2016). Weiss’s and McGuinn’s point is that the state can target specific districts that need help in order to give equal education. 

I believe that ESSA is a much needed refresher on education policy in order to combat inequality in education and give focus on underperforming schools. A school's evaluation should not be seen as a list of test scores but a group of indicators that show growth and improvement. The ESSA introduces a “flexible state controlled educational program” that allows the state to be more involved in their own education plans (Rea and Zinskie, 2016). Once again it offers teachers in underperforming schools to not be solely evaluated on test scores but the growth and development of their students. Of course just like anything, ESSA can be improved upon but it is a step in the right direction in order to ensure educational growth in America. 

1. Which of the following is attributed to be a benefit of ESSA?

A.  Better communication between schools and parents

B. Hides inequality

C. Keeps the status quo

D. removes yearly progression stipulation

2. If a school is underperforming who needs to take action in order to increase performance?

A. An individual teacher

B. The federal government 

C. The state 

D. The students