Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed into law on December 10, 2015, replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and reauthorized the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), America’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students. ESSA was designed to ensure that all students in the United States had access to a high-quality education and to close educational achievement gaps. It includes multiple levels of requirements and guidelines aimed at improving student achievement and increasing the accountability of schools, districts, and states. Here's an overview of the different levels of the ESSA:

1. State-Level Requirements

Under ESSA, states are given more flexibility compared to NCLB but are still required to meet certain federal requirements. These include:

• Academic Standards: States must adopt challenging academic standards in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science.
• Assessments: States are required to administer annual standardized tests in reading/language arts and math in grades 3-8 and once in high school, as well as science tests given three times between grades 3-12.
• Accountability Systems: States must develop accountability systems to identify schools in need of support and improvement based on measures including academic achievement, graduation rates, English language proficiency, and an additional indicator of school quality or student success.
• State Plans: States must submit ESSA plans to the U.S. Department of Education for approval, detailing how they will meet these requirements and improve student outcomes.

2. School District (Local Educational Agency) Requirements

Local educational agencies (LEAs) or school districts must adhere to several key requirements under ESSA:

• Local ESSA Plans: Districts are required to develop and implement local ESSA plans that align with state goals and strategies, particularly for schools identified as needing targeted support and improvement.
• Use of Federal Funds: Districts must use federal funds in accordance with ESSA’s goals, such as supporting effective instruction, providing support to low-income and minority students, English learners, and students with disabilities.
• Parent and Family Engagement: LEAs must develop and implement strategies to increase parent and family engagement in the educational process, including providing timely information about schools and programs.

3. School-Level Requirements

At the school level, ESSA mandates include:

• Comprehensive Support and Improvement: Schools identified by states as the lowest-performing 5% or with a high dropout rate must develop and implement comprehensive support and improvement plans.
• Targeted Support and Improvement: Schools with consistently underperforming subgroups of students must develop and implement targeted support and improvement plans to address these disparities.

4. Other Provisions

ESSA also includes provisions related to:

• Teacher Qualifications: While ESSA eliminated the highly qualified teacher requirement from NCLB, it emphasizes the need for states to ensure that teachers meet applicable state certification and licensure requirements.
• Special Populations: ESSA contains specific requirements for supporting English learners, homeless children and youths, children in foster care, and children with disabilities to ensure they have access to a high-quality education.
• Innovative Assessments: ESSA authorizes a pilot program for states to develop innovative assessment systems, which could include performance-based assessments, cumulative year-end assessments, or interim assessments that combine to form a summative rating.

ESSA represents a significant shift from NCLB, granting states and localities more authority over their education systems while maintaining critical federal oversight to protect educational equity and promote high standards for all students.

Software Certification 

1. Basic Compliance Certification

At this foundational level, educational software is certified for basic compliance with technical standards and privacy laws. This includes adherence to:

• Data Privacy and Security Laws: Such as COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) in the U.S., GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe, and similar regulations worldwide, ensuring the software protects student data.
• Accessibility Standards: Compliance with laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, ensuring the software is accessible to all students, including those with disabilities.

2. Content and Pedagogical Certification

This level evaluates the educational content and pedagogical approaches used by the software, including:

• Alignment with Educational Standards: Ensuring the software's content aligns with national, state, or international educational standards (e.g., Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards).
• Instructional Design Quality: Evaluation of the software's instructional design, ensuring it is based on proven pedagogical theories and practices that promote effective learning.

3. Efficacy and Outcome-Based Certification

Software at this level has been rigorously tested and proven effective in improving educational outcomes. This might involve:

• Research and Evidence: Demonstrating through peer-reviewed research or case studies that students who use the software show measurable improvement in their learning outcomes.
• Continuous Improvement: The software uses data analytics and feedback loops to continually improve its effectiveness and adapt to learners' needs.

4. Advanced Integration and Interoperability Certification

At the highest level, educational software not only meets basic, pedagogical, and efficacy standards but also demonstrates advanced integration and interoperability with other educational technologies and systems. This includes:

• Learning Management System (LMS) Integration: The software seamlessly integrates with popular LMS platforms, allowing for easy adoption and use within existing educational ecosystems.
• Data Portability and Interoperability Standards: Adherence to standards such as IMS Global Learning Consortium specifications, ensuring the software can exchange data and work smoothly with other systems, thereby supporting a holistic educational technology ecosystem.

Additional Considerations

• User Experience (UX) and Engagement: While not a formal certification level, the usability and engagement of educational software are critical for its adoption and effectiveness. High-quality educational software often undergoes extensive UX testing to ensure it meets the needs and preferences of its intended users, including students, teachers, and administrators.

• Custom Certifications and Badges: Some organizations, districts, or ed-tech review platforms develop their own certification systems or endorsement badges to signal to educators and institutions which technologies meet their specific criteria for quality, safety, and educational value.

Educational software certification can vary by country, state, or district, depending on local regulations, standards, and educational goals. It's essential for educators and institutions to consider these various levels of certification when selecting educational technology products to ensure they choose high-quality, effective tools that align with their educational objectives and compliance requirements.