Education

Special Student & Teacher Programs - Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Statewide Outcome(s):

ESEA supports the following statewide outcome(s).

Minnesotans have the education and skills needed to achieve their goals.

Context:

The Elementary & Secondary Education (ESEA) is the principal federal law that provides funds for supplemental services to promote academic growth for all students. The program exists to provide financial incentive to states to focus resources to driving academic achievement of their most economically disadvantaged subgroups of student. Districts are required to use these ESEA funds to provide additional services to students that are at risk of not meeting the state’s academic content standards.

Strategies:

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is the principal federal law affecting education from kindergarten through high school. The purpose of ESEA is to increase accountability for results; emphasize what works based on scientific research; expand parental options; and expand local control and flexibility. The Act consists of various programs designed to ensure the academic success of at risk students. The most notable are:

·         Title I which includes supplemental services around evidenced based learning to promote academic growth. This program also includes the requirement used for holding schools and district accountable.

·         Title II High Quality Teachers and Principals which promotes professional development for teachers and principals to ensure high quality professionals.

·         Title III Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students which provides professional development for teachers working with English Language Learners.

·         Title IV 21st Century Schools which promote after school programs for at risk students.

·         Title V Promoting Informed Parental Choice and Innovative Programs which includes funding for charter schools and other choice programs.

In February 2012, the U.S. Department of Education approved Minnesota’s request for ESEA Flexibility, which now allows the state to hold schools accountable through the Multiple Measurement Rating (MMR) and Focus Rating (FR). The state now measures schools on multiple indicators of success and uses those ratings in a system of recognition, accountability and support.

Using the MMR, schools will be measured by proficiency, growth, achievement gap, and graduation rates. Prior to the waiver schools were only measured on proficiency. Based on their scores, schools will be divided into the following categories:

·         Reward Schools: Top 15 percent of schools will be publicly recognized for their great work.

·         Priority Schools: Bottom five percent of schools will work directly with the state to develop and implement a turnaround plan that will dramatically change the way the school operates.

·         Focus Schools: ten percent of schools with the greatest contribution to state achievement gaps. Focus schools will work with their districts with assistance from MDE to develop and implement an improvement plan that will directly address the specific needs of low-performing student subgroups.

Results:

With the successful waiver application, Minnesota was one of the first states to update accountability measures. Regional Centers of Excellence will provide a key role in working with identified schools, identifying best practices, and working with schools and communities to provide an improved education.

Performance Measures Notes:

Previous Data: N/A / Current Data: Change between FY2010-2011 to FY2011-2012. To determine overall trend, these data points measure the change in the number of schools with different types of scores between school years. Because MDE only has one set of data points to determine how schools’ MMR and Focus ratings are changing (change from 2010-2011 to 2011-2012), we do not have previous data from which we can determine a trend. Going forward, MDE will track this to determine the statewide trend in changing ratings.