The U.S. Department of Education approves Iowa’s updated state plan for school improvement and support under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Education today announced that Iowa’s updated state plan for school accountability and support under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education as submitted, unifying Iowa’s school accountability systems. Iowa’s updated plan builds upon bold education improvement efforts underway to focus resources on the classroom and what has the greatest impact on student achievement and growth.
The accountability system utilizes a streamlined set of core indicators including proficiency results in English language arts, mathematics, and science, student academic growth, chronic absenteeism, graduation rates and postsecondary readiness. The updates to the approved accountability system provide consistently rigorous, reliable, and fair school ratings that are easily understood by the families, educators, communities, and taxpayers.
“Thousands of Iowans participating in the Department’s consultation process helped build our transparent, world-class accountability system to support continuous improvement and celebrate school success,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Together, we will implement Iowa’s new school accountability system, reflecting high expectations for all students, incentivizing evidence-based instructional practices, and prioritizing partnership with schools most in need of support.”
The Department conducted a robust consultation process with superintendents, curriculum and instructional leaders, the State Board of Education, Area Education Agencies, executive leadership of major education associations and members of the public in developing and revising the plan. The Department also conducted a statewide survey with over 1,400 respondents in which all proposed changes earned a majority of support.
New updates to the approved accountability system include:
- An innovative, new postsecondary readiness indicator focused on student outcomes in attaining college credit, work-based learning experiences, and industry-recognized credentials;
- Equal weighting of both proficiency and growth in English language arts and math and inclusion of science proficiency;
- A new growth indicator that recognizes the success of English learners and their teachers after students attain proficiency; and
- Inclusion of chronic absenteeism and an innovative new attendance growth indicator.
The unified accountability system also changes how overall performance ratings are calculated, including an understandable, transparent new point system. Iowa’s unified accountability system will take effect starting with the 2024-25 school year and all school designations will be reset later this fall.
Iowa’s updated state plan for school accountability and support is available on the Department’s website.
About the Every Student Succeeds Act: ESSA, a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, was signed in 2015 and requires each state to develop comprehensive plans for accountability and support, identify schools for support and improvement based on overall student performance and achievement gaps experienced by student groups and publish school report cards reflecting performance.