Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

On March 13, 2010 the Obama administration released its blueprint for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The blueprint places an increased emphasis on upgrading existing standards across the country, with the goal of the United States leading the world in college completion rates by 2020.
Highlights of the blueprint include:

•Encouraging states to adopt "college- and career-ready" standards. Under the blueprint, states may choose to upgrade their current standards by working with their 4-year public universities to certify that a "mastery of coursework" will be achieved, or work with other states to create standards towards college- and career-readiness.
• The Race to the Top (RTTT) program will be expanded.
• Replace NCLB's "Adequate Yearly Progress" accountability measures by tying accountability to the statewide standards and aligned assessments on the college- and career-ready standards.
• The Department of Education will award formula grants to support state efforts to develop and implement high-quality assessments aligned with college- and career-ready standards in English and math. States may use funds to develop assessments in other academic or career technical subjects. (Beginning in 2015, formula grants will only be available to states that are implementing assessments based on college- and career-ready standards that are common to a significant number of states)
• A continuation of the School Turnaround Grants - States will receive formula funds to improve their lowest performing schools, and award those funds competitively to districts or partnerships of districts and nonprofits to implement one of the following intervention models: Transformation, Turnaround, Restart or School Closure - all four models propose to either replace the principal, convert or close the school.
• States and districts will be given flexibility in determining how formula funds are spent that are aimed at improving teacher and principal "effectiveness" and the assurance of equitable distribution of "effective" teachers and principals.
• Competitive grants will be awarded to states, charter school authorizers, charter management organizations, districts, and nonprofit organizations to start or expand high-performing charter schools.
• The Department of Education will award competitive grants to states, districts, and nonprofits that seek to support areas that foster a complete education including: literacy, STEM academic subjects, arts, foreign languages, history and civics, financial literacy, environmental education, and other subjects.
• Competitive grants will be awarded to support development of Promise Neighborhoods, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and to programs that ensure students are successful, safe and healthy.

For more information, you may read the full text of the blueprint below.