Last year Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a reauthorization of the nation’s public education law and successor to the No Child Left Behind Act. The new law goes into effect in the 2017-18 school year, but states are already planning for its implementation. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing some highlights of how ESSA addresses nonacademic barriers to student learning and opportunities Texas Education Agency and school districts have to create learning environments that help all students succeed in school and in life.

Want to know what TEA is currently considering and share with the agency your opinion on where it should prioritize its efforts? Take this brief, anonymous online survey, but note you have until Friday, November 18 at 5:00 PM to complete it.

But if you are unable to make the deadline or want to share more robust thoughts with the agency about ESSA implementation, questions, comments, and feedback can be sent to [email protected] beyond the November 18 date.

We’d love to hear your recommendations, too. Feel free to share a copy of your comments with me at [email protected].

Here’s TEA’s implementation timeline:

January 2017—Release preliminary policy considerations
April 2017—Release draft plan for public comment
July 2017—Submit final state plan to the U.S. Department of Education for approval

It’s important for TEA, the Texas Legislature, and school districts to make the most of the opportunities presented by ESSA. We encourage TEA to plan for implementation in an open and transparent process that engages a broad range of stakeholders, schools, and communities. We look forward to working with the TEA, the Texas Legislature, schools, other partners to make the most of the opportunities ESSA provides to create safe and supportive school environments that help all students achieve their potential.