Well-Rounded Education

Overview

With the adoption of ESSA, the term core academic subjects was replaced with a new term, well-rounded education, and expanded to 17 subjects. Appearing more than 20 times throughout the law, a well-rounded education opens many doors to expand learning opportunities for students. Needs must be identified through the comprehensive needs assessment and articulated in the campus plan.

The term "well-rounded education" means courses, activities, and programming in subjects such as English, reading or language arts, writing, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography, computer science, music, career and technical education, health, physical education, and any other subject, as determined by the State or local agency, with the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and educational experience. (ESSA, Title VIII, Section 8002)

Statute from ESEA as amended through P.L. 114-95, enacted December 10, 2015 (ESSA)

To ensure that all children receive a high-quality education, and to close the achievement gap between children meeting the challenging State academic standards and those children who are not meeting such standards, each local educational agency plan shall describe:

• how the local educational agency will monitor students' progress in meeting the challenging State academic standards by:
  • developing and implementing a well-rounded program of instruction to meet the academic needs of all students. 1112(b)(1)(A)

An eligible school operating a schoolwide program shall develop a comprehensive plan (or amend a plan for such a program that was in existence on the day before the date of the enactment of ESSA that:

• includes a description of strategies that the school will be implementing to address school needs, including a description of how such strategies will:
  • use methods and instructional strategies that strengthen the academic program in the school, increase the amount and quality of learning time, and help provide an enriched and accelerated curriculum, which may include programs, activities, and courses necessary to provide a well-rounded education. 1114(b)(7)(ii)

To assist targeted assistance schools to meet their local responsibility to provide for all their students served under this part the opportunity to meet the challenging State academic standards, each targeted assistance program under this section shall:

• serve participating students identified under this subsection (c), including by
  • using resources under this part to help eligible children meet the challenging State academic standards, which may include programs, activities, and academic courses necessary to provide a well-rounded education. 1115(b)(2)(A)

The term "well-rounded education" means courses, activities, and programming in subjects such as English, reading or language arts, writing, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography, computer science, music, career and technical education, health, physical education, and any other subject, as determined by the State or local educational agency, with the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and educational experience. 8102(52)

Resources

Special Report: ESSA's Well-Rounded Education - June 2016

Non-Regulatory Guidance on Title IV - October 2016

Principal's Action Plan for ESSA: Providing All Students with a Well-Rounded and Complete Education

ESSA: Final Regulations to Promote a High-Quality Well-Rounded Education 11-29-16

Leveraging ESSA to Support State Visions for College and Career Readiness 7-31-17

ESSA: Mapping Opportunities for the Arts 10-4-16

ESSA: Mapping Opportunities for Civic Education 4-17