Reflections on State ESSA Plans

As of May 2017, 17 states submitted plans to the U.S. Department of Education to outline their education priorities for the coming years. These plans, required by law under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), are intended to guide states in thinking comprehensively and collaboratively about their policies and to ensure a high-quality and equitable education for all students.

AIR experts have been reviewing these 17 state ESSA plans (as well as three draft plans) to gain insight into states’ priorities for education policy and practice. By and large, the plans are consistent with or build on the plans that many states submitted when they requested flexibility under the previous Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In this brief, we share reflections on where states are heading with respect to the accountability measures.