ESEA FLEXIBILITY: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS October 5, 2011.

ESEA FLEXIBILITY: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

October 5, 2011

ESEA Flexibility U.S. Department of Education

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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND AYP

Q. Is an SEA that receives ESEA flexibility still required to make AYP determinations as it does under NCLB?

Yes (see FAQ B-11) All rules for AYP determinations remain

the same except:1. New flexibility for setting AMOs2. Use of AYP determinations


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND AYP, CONT’D.Q. What is different about how an SEA that receives

ESEA flexibility uses AYP determinations?

Reporting as primary use AYP determinations to inform, but not dictate,

accountability Other factors that might inform accountability

include:o Change in school or subgroup performance over timeo Other indicators of student achievement, such as

enrollment in AP or IB courses or student portfolioso Indicators of school climateo Other factors that are part of an existing State system

See FAQ C-18


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND AYP, CONT’D.All flexibility for making AYP determinations remains the same, including:Counting proficient scores on alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards (up to 1% limit)Including scores of former English Learners and former students with disabilities in those subgroups for up to two yearsExcluding scores of recently arrived English Learners


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND AYP, CONT’D.All requirements for making AYP determinations remain the same, including:Disaggregated results in at least reading/language arts and mathematicsOther academic indicatorGraduation rate regulations not waivedParticipation rateAYP determinations included on State and district report cards


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PRIORITY AND FOCUS SCHOOLSQ. How must an SEA identify its priority and focus

schools?

An SEA must identify a number of schools equal to at least 5 percent of its Title I schools as priority schools, and at least an additional 10 percent of Title I schools as focus schools

An SEA must include its lists of priority and focus schools in its request and include them on report cards

An SEA may update its lists of priority and focus schools based on more recent data, but must ensure implementation of interventions in accordance with the SEA’s approved timeline

See FAQs C-22 through C-30


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PRIORITY AND FOCUS SCHOOLS, CONT’D.Q. How may an SEA identify high schools with

graduation rate less than 60 percent over a number of years as priority and focus schools?

Title I-participating high schools with graduation rates less than 60 percent over a number of years must be identified as either priority or focus schools

In addition, Title I-eligible high schools with graduation rates less than 60 percent over a number of years may be identified as priority schools, but not as focus schools


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS Q. How does implementation of ESEA

flexibility interact with an SEA's or LEA's implementation of the SIG program?

Under the ESEA flexibility, an SEA may:o Count a PLA school receiving SIG funds to

implement one of the four SIG models as a priority school

o Competitively award new subgrants to LEAs implementing a SIG model in a PLA school or a priority school

SIG funds must be used in accordance with the requirements of the SIG program


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SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (SES) AND SCHOOL CHOICE

Q. What are an LEA’s requirements related to SES and school choice under ESEA flexibility?

An LEA would no longer be required provide SES or school choice or reserve the funds to do so

An LEA could still use the funds on SES or choice-related transportation if it chooses to do so

See FAQs B-9 and B-10


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SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (SES) AND SCHOOL CHOICE, CONT’DQ. Does an SEA that requests ESEA flexibility

need to conduct a process for selecting SES providers?

Until an SEA is approved to implement the flexibility, it must comply with the current requirements related to approving SES providers


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND SECTION 1117 OF THE ESEA Q. Is ESEA flexibility waiving the provision

that States have a statewide system of support?

SEAs will still be required to implement a statewide system of support

How this statewide system of support operates may change from past practices based on the proposed differentiated accountability system plan presented in the SEA’s request


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER REQUIREMENTS Q. Do LEAs that did not previously meet the

State’s HQT targets still have to develop improvement plans?

Under ESEA flexibility, an LEA is not required to develop an improvement plan, regardless of the years for which it did not meet HQT targets

These waivers will be in effect once the SEA’s request for flexibility has been approved

Until the date that the request is approved, SEAs and LEAs must comply with all current laws


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY AND AN SEA’S ACCOUNTABILITY WORKBOOKQ. Does an SEA that receives ESEA flexibility

need to update its accountability workbook? Yes

The Department will work with SEAs to enable them to expeditiously update their accountability workbooks prior to the 2012-2013 school year

An SEA with an approved request may begin implementing the flexibility before its accountability workbook amendments are approved


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY: INTENT TO REQUEST FLEXIBILITY Q. What should be included in an SEA’s intent

to request ESEA flexibility on October 12? The SEA should note whether it expects to

submit a request in November or February The “intent to request” e-mail is not binding,

but is an important tool to help ED plan for the review

An SEA is always free select another window at a later point


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY: SUBMITTING ON NOVEMBER 14, 2011 Q. Is there a time certain by which an SEA

must submit its request on November 14?

An SEA may submit a request any time on November 14 in order to be considered in the first review window

Requests are to be submitted to our designated mailbox [email protected]

If you have any technical problems with your submission, please e-mail Sharon Hall at [email protected]


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ESEA FLEXIBILITY:ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

You may ask questions over the phone or through the webinar’s chat function


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CLOSING

State Questions and Office HoursTo submit questions or schedule a time

for SEA teams to speak with Department staff, contact [email protected]

ESEA FLEXIBILITY: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS October 5, 2011.

Documents

Transcript of ESEA FLEXIBILITY: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS October 5, 2011.