State Education Department Submits Comments on Federal Every Student Succeeds Act Proposed Rulemaking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2016

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JP O'Hare

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State Education Department Submits Comments on Federal Every Student Succeeds Act Proposed Rulemaking

Feedback to U.S. Department of Education on Academic Assessments Stresses Need for Flexibility, Particularly For Newly Arrived English Language Learners��and Students With Disabilities��

The С��Ƶ State Education Department today submitted comments on the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDE) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Academic Assessments under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The Department’s comments focus on the need to provide states with greater flexibility in the testing of certain English language learners and students with disabilities.

“While С��Ƶ’s assessments are entirely appropriate for most students, for some students they are not an appropriate measure of academic growth,” State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said. “Whether we’re talking about students with severe cognitive disabilities or English language learners new to the country, it just makes sense to look at other ways to gauge their academic growth. As we have requested in the past, these comments present USDE with reasonable alternatives that will fairly and accurately assess student achievement in ways that make sense for all students.”