ESSA Basics: What are Title I and Title III?

By Alyssa Thornley | May 25, 2017

Updated on May 25, 2023.

On July 1st, 2017, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaced No Child Left Behind (NCLB) as a rule of the land, at least in education. ESSA is the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was first signed into law in 1965. The law reaffirms the commitment to equal opportunity for all U.S. students

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Immigration Enforcement: Congress Urges Trump Administration Officials to Reiterate Commitment to Uphold Plyler v. Doe

By Dr. David Holbrook | April 12, 2017

During the first week of April, members of Congress sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly asking them to uphold the educational provisions of Plyler v. Doe regarding the provision of access to a public education regardless of the child’s or parent’s immigration status.

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Guidance for ESSA State Plan Peer Review Released

By Dr. David Holbrook | April 3, 2017

Earlier I reported that the U.S. Department of Education (USED) hosted a webinar for State Education Agencies (SEAs) related to issues of submission of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plans and Peer Review of those plans once submitted. That post included the information that only three of the nine ESSA programs included in consolidated state submissions will receive peer review. Those that will receive peer review are:

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Trump’s Budget Proposal – Is a Proposal

By Dr. David Holbrook | March 31, 2017

President Trump’s budget proposal made a big splash by proposing to eliminate funding for some major ESSA programs. The proposal to eliminate the teacher development program under Title II and Title IV, Part B - 21st Century Community Learning Centers received the most attention.

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National Council of State Title III Directors: Registration for Annual National Meeting Now Available

By Dr. David Holbrook | March 13, 2017

The National Council of State Title III Directors announced the opening of registration for its annual national meetings. The meetings this year will be held in the Los Angeles area at the Garland Hotel in North Hollywood. The day and a half of meetings will begin with State and school district administrators meeting for a full day and will be followed by a half day of meetings jointly with the Council of Great City Schools Bilingual Directors.

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ESSA final regulations published for Accountability and State Plans

By Dr. David Holbrook | January 25, 2017

In May 2016 the U.S. Department of Education (USED) posted for comment proposed regulations for Accountability and State Plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Those proposed regulations generated over 20,000 comments. Since USED is required to respond to comments, it took them a significant amount of time to finalize these regulations.

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Managing Communication with the Parents of ESL Students

By Alyssa Thornley | January 24, 2017

As school districts across America grow in population and the country itself becomes more diverse, the need for enhanced parent communication increases. A one-size-fits-all model cannot work when ensuring all students and parents receive pertinent communications in a language they can understand. 

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U.S. Department of Education issues fact sheet and guidance related to students with disabilities

By Dr. David Holbrook | January 18, 2017

On December 28, 2016 the U.S. Department of Education (USED) released three new sets of guidance “to assist the public in understanding how the Department interprets and enforces federal civil rights laws protecting the rights of students with disabilities” (see here). This may be the last effort of an ongoing focus by the current administration to highlight aspects of the Civil Rights of students with disabilities.

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ESSA State Plans due April 3: amidst many requirements, SEAs and LEAs must provide effective ESSA compliant communications for parents, families, and communities

By Dr. David Holbrook | January 18, 2017

As deadlines approach for submission of State Plans under ESSA, the activities necessary to develop those plans are increasing. State Education Agencies (SEAs) are leaning into the details of their plans in preparation for submission to the U.S. Department of Education (USED) for review and using recently issued guidance for support.

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