Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

Overview

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), passed by Congress and signed by the President in December 2015, is the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), first signed into law in 1965 and reauthorized periodically since then. ESSA is the governing law of the nine title programs dealing with elementary and secondary education federal funding and student civil rights. Utah receives a little over $300 million in federal funding for public schools, much of it tied into ESSA.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
United States Department of Education

Utah's ESSA State Plan

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) submitted Utah's ESSA state plan. Since then, the state plan went through a number of revisions as state officials worked with federal reviewers to clarify how the state plans met with ESSA's statutory requirements. Utah's current state plan was approved by the United States Department of Education on August 23, 2023.

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan
Utah's Approved State Plan

History

The United States Department of Education requested clarification in December of 2017 and Utah resubmitted its plan in February 2018 in response to Department questions.

The Utah State Board of Education requested a waiver from the United States Department of Education provision ESSA 1111(c)(4)(E)(ii): Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies, which requires states to count students who opt out of statewide proficiency testing as non-proficient for school accountability purposes.

The Utah State Legislature Title 53G-6-803: Parental Right to Academic Accommodations does not permit Utah State Board of Education to allow a negative impact upon school grades because of students opting out of statewide tests. Utah's waiver sought to only include students who take the tests for school accountability, but in May 2018 the department denied the waiver ruling that non-tested students must be counted as non-proficient students for school accountability.

March 17, 2017

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan
Initial Plan

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan
Marked Up Plan

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan
Final Plan Submitted

September 18, 2017

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan
Approved State Plan

December 14, 2017

The Honorable Sydnee Dickson Superintendent of Public Instruction
Clarification Letter

May 1, 2018

The Honorable Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education
Waiver Request Letter

June 13, 2018

The Honorable Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education
Exception Letter

The Utah State Board of Education requested a one-year exemption to the testing provision to allow Utah State Board of Education time to work out a solution between state and federal regulations.

June 25, 2018

The Honorable Sydnee Dickson Superintendent of Public Instruction
Transition Authority Request Denial Letter

July 12, 2018

Dr. Sydnee Dickson Superintendent of Public Instruction
Approval Letter

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan
Final Approved State Plan

October 18, 2018

Public Comment Welcomed on Proposed Utah ESSA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Amendment
Proposed Utah ESSA ELP Amendment

September 27, 2022

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan

November 3, 2022

Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan

August 23, 2023