Update: STEM Education and the Every Child Succeeds Act (ESSA)

From Michael Kaspar
About eight months ago, ESSA began. General information about the new version of ‘No Child Left Behind’ was revealed, comparing and contrasting how the language had changed in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Now that the State Education Agencies and all stakeholders, for that matter, have had a chance to digest the requirements of the Act, certain regulations have been clarified. These regulations are posted in the Federal Register and refer primarily to Title I and Title II of the Act.

Rules around Accountability and Assessment are still evolving while many states are deep in the process of writing their ESEA applications for funding. It is a fluid process, and it appears that the kinks will be straightened as they arise.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, as we so fondly call STEM, is mostly referenced in Title IV. As I recently learned, there will be no rules associated with Title IV. There will be ‘guidance’ instead, meaning that the Department of Education will help States understand what the Act requires. Since Title IV funds will be distributed in block grants to the States, this guidance might also be considered to be the RFPs, the Request for Proposals.

To date, the guidance for Title IV has not been released. However, the funding for it has been of great concern (to put it mildly) for federal budget watchers. Title IV was initially funded for $1.65 billion, but in June that funding was reduced to $300 million. It is shocking to think that this amount is to be distributed to all 50 states and territories! Thankfully, the STEM stakeholders rallied, and the funding level was raised to $1 billion in July. But, having said that, stay tuned. As of July 15, both the Senate and the House have approved their separate funding bills for education. However, in this volatile election year, those in the know think that any final appropriations bills for FY2017 (starting October 1), will make it through the Senate and the House together. The timing is short. There are still an all-told 12 funding bills, including education, that have been introduced…and, now Congress is on vacation until Labor Day. On top of that, September will be a short work month before they again adjourn for the Election.

While $1B is still not what was authorized by Congress last December, it is not the relative pittance of $300M. To call $300M a pittance seems outrageous. However, after so many years of a dearth of funding STEM, it is a pittance when so many schools and districts are “catching-up” to the needs of educating today and tomorrow’s students.

As States are in the process of writing their proposals to the U.S. Department of Education (USED), this is probably one of the most important things to know at this stage: stakeholders, meaning everyone, must be allowed in the process. Congress has made it abundantly clear to the USED, that each state proposal has to clearly indicate how stakeholders were included in the process. In times past, for example, stakeholder input may have been in the form of a survey that was placed on the State Education Agency’s (SEA) website. Folks may have known about the survey, or maybe they didn’t. Whatever the case, a survey of that sort is no longer acceptable. Input is to be accepted until August 1. At this point, letting you know that may be moot, however, there has been a push by a number of stakeholder organizations who have let this be known and encouraged their members and others to send in their input. Perhaps you knew and you have.

Another note of interest: All states should have a team of members that represent various stakeholder groups, usually organized by the SEA, that is in the process of writing the proposal. Many states are finally including SEA agency staffers who have not been included in past proposal-writing; these staffers may include the State’s assessment folks. Of course, then raising the question, “How could professional assessment staffers NOT be included in the process?” The good news here is that past fails have been recognized and addressed in ESSA.

While there are many State proposals nearing completion and others just beginning, this election cycle will surely impact Education. So, as previously mentioned, stay tuned. As is often misquoted, but relevant here, “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

Michael Kaspar is the Senior Policy Analyst staffing the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics desk for the National Education Association. He is the founding director of the DC STEM Alliance and the DC Science Teachers Association.

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