Wisconsin ESEA Flexibility Request. Amended 2013
Author: Department of Education (ED)
Date: 2013-05-20
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Elementary Secondary Education,Educational Legislation,Federal Legislation,College Readiness,Career Readiness,Accountability,Recognition (Achievement),Teacher Evaluation,Administrator Evaluation,Principals,State Departments of Education,School Districts,Educational Change,Educational Improvement,Teacher Effectiveness,Administrator Effectiveness

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is offering each State educational agency (SEA) the opportunity to request flexibility on behalf of itself, its local educational agencies (LEAs), and its schools, in order to better focus on improving student learning and increasing the quality of instruction. This voluntary opportunity will provide educators and State and local leaders with flexibility regarding specific requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) in exchange for rigorous and comprehensive State-developed plans designed to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. This flexibility is intended to build on and support the significant State and local reform efforts already underway in critical areas such as transitioning to college- and career-ready standards and assessments; developing systems of differentiated recognition, accountability, and support; and evaluating and supporting teacher and principal effectiveness. The Department invites interested SEAs to request this flexibility pursuant to the authority in section 9401 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), which allows the Secretary to waive, with certain exceptions, any statutory or regulatory requirement of the ESEA for an SEA that receives funds under a program authorized by the ESEA and requests a waiver. Under this flexibility, the Department would grant waivers through the 2013 2014 school year, after which time an SEA may request an extension of this flexibility. This version of the ESEA Flexibility Request replaces the document originally issued on September 23, 2011 and revised on September 28, 2011. Through this revised version, the following section has been removed: 3.A, Option B (Option C has been renamed Option B). Additions have also been made to the following sections: Waivers and Assurances. Finally, this revised guidance modifies the following sections: Waivers; Assurances; 2.A.ii; 2.C.i; 2.D.i; 2.E.i; Table 2; 2.G; and 3.A, Options A and B. Appendices include: (1) The Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Recommendations; (2) Crafting a New Accountability System for Wisconsin; (3) School and District Accountability Design Team Members; (4) Wisconsin's Approach to Academic Standards; (5) Graduation Requirements Summary; (6) A Guide for Implementing Programs of Study in Wisconsin; (7) Every Child a Graduate; (8) Impact Analysis; (9) Sample Report Card; (10) Attendance Works--Accountable for Absenteeism; (11) Wisconsin's Accountability Index System; (12) Indistar®; (13) Wisconsin's Response to Intervention--A Guiding Document; (14) Trainings for Response to Interventions in Wisconsin; (15) Full Literature Synthesis of RtI--Including Citations; (16) State Superintendent's Technical Advisory Committee Agendas; and (17) HQ Plan for Principle 3. Individual appendices provide references.