Federal Education Bill Is Good for California Economy

by Webmaster

Last week, both houses of Congress passed and the President signed into law the Every Student Success Act (ESSA). This bill replaces the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation that was enacted 12 years ago. The goal of ESSA is to ensure that all students, including our youngest learners, have equal access to a quality education no matter their background or ethnicity. 

For California to maintain its position as the 8th largest economy in the world, our education system needs to prepare ALL students to be part of a globally competitive workplace. California is currently implementing substantial changes to our educational standards, streamlining and improving testing and accountability systems, and granting more local control over funding. California’s high school graduation rates have improved from 75 percent in 2010 to an all-time high of 81 percent in 2014. Good progress, but much more needs to be done. 

The business community commends Congress for passing S. 1177, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), to replace the NCLB. NCLB was enacted to close achievement gaps and advance education reforms. Its goals were laudable but included an overreach by the federal government to micromanage state and local school district policies and operations. The Chamber strongly advocated for this new legislation during our ACCESS Washington, D.C. visit last March and in other communications throughout the year. 

Provisions of the new bill incorporate smarter accountability, investments in early childhood education, Linked Learning, and more flexibility to states and schools through an integrated cradle-to career system. It also intentionally connects transition points from secondary to post-secondary institutions. 

ESSA complements California’s recent policy improvements and increased flexibility for our schools. To assure implementation, it will be essential for the U.S. Department of Education to work collaboratively with California and other states, the business community, and other stakeholders to develop streamlined regulations that preserve the flexibly embodied in this legislation. At a time when the U.S. needs to dramatically increase the quality and number of graduates to meet future workforce needs, it is essential that the federal government be a partner with those who are leading the way in states and school districts around the country.

And that's The Business Perspective.