The Policy Greenhouse

Sources: ESSA Gov Page, ESSA Overview, America’s Promise Alliance, WSAC Graduation Stats

There are a lot of different ways that the education system comes up short. These ways can be measured using different metrics. For one, graduation rates. It is no secret that the area in which you live can have a very drastic impact on your education. For example, Students in the suburban areas of the nation’s 50 largest cities were considerably more likely to graduate (77 percent) than students in the country’s urban schools (59 percent). The reason for this statistic lies in student achievement. In fact, according to a study done by the Washington Student Achievement Council, the fifth highest reason for a student to drop pout before graduation is due to academic achievement. This goes hand in hand with the highest factor for dropping out (as per this study) which is socioeconomic status. These two go hand in hand because if a student’s parents are unable to get them the extra help (in the form of a tutor or a supplemental course outside of school), then the student is doomed to underperform academically.

That is why the ESSA is so necessary. It reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which is a law that represents and contributes to providing equal opportunity for all students. The ESSA has been highly effective in providing equal opportunity and support for students who otherwise would not get it. This strong commitment stems from its origins from the ESEA. Signed into law in 1965 by LBJ who believed that education should be our “first national goal”. The ESEA offered new grants to districts with low-income students, federal grants for textbooks and library books, funding for special education centers, and scholarships for low-income college students. Also, the law provided federal grants to state educational agencies to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education. The signing of the ESSA in 2015 preserved the ESEA and therefore kept all of its benefits going. Therefore, the ESSA completely necessary for the protection of equal opportunity in the American Education System.