Last week, the U.S. Department of Education released a series of new publications detailing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) flexibility program and highlighting successful programs in several of the 34 states that have been approved for ESEA flexibility. A brochure and individual fact-sheets discuss state-led reforms that align with the five priority areas states are required to adhere to with their acceptance of a flexibility waiver: Continuing to expose and close achievement gaps; Advancing accountability for graduation rates; Turning around the lowest-performing schools; Protecting school and student accountability; and Supporting teachers, leaders, and local innovation. The Department of Education is currently reviewing ESEA flexibility requests from ten states and Puerto Rico. ESEA flexibility provides states temporary relief from certain requirements in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

Link: Dept. of Ed Publications