1. NCLB & the
Alaska Flexibility Waiver
An Overview of ESEA Requirements
AGSD Staff Presentation, November 1, 2013

2. Reasons for the ESEA Waiver
• AMO targets required all students to be proficient in
2013-2014.
• The number of Alaska (and US) schools not making AYP
will increase dramatically over the next two years untill
all students are perfectly proficient.
• Current NCLB targets are “all or nothing” for meeting
AYP and do not recognize growth or progress.
• Current NCLB requirements creates barriers to state
and local implementation of reforms that could focus
resources where they are needed most.

3. Key Provisions of NCLB to be Waived
1. Timeline for all students to be proficient by 2013–2014
2. School improvement levels and required
consequences (school improvement, corrective action
and restructuring)
3. Requirement to use 20% of Title I-A allocation for
choice/SES for schools in improvement
4. Requirements and consequences for districts to be
identified for improvement or corrective action
5. Highly qualified teacher plan requirements (but still
must meet targets for all teachers to be highly
qualified)

4. Key Provisions of NCLB to be Waived
6. Highly qualified teacher plan requirements (but still
must meet targets for all teachers to be highly
qualified)
7. Allows rural districts eligible for REAP to use funds for
any purpose regardless of AYP status and increases
flexibility under transfer of funds provision.
8. Allows Title I schools to operate schoolwide programs
with less than 40% poverty.
9. Allows school improvement funds under section
1003(a) to serve any Title I priority or focus school and
SIG funds under 1003(g) to serve any Title I priority
school

5. Key Principles of the EASA Waiver
1. Principal 1
College & Career Ready Expectations for All Students
2. Principal 2
Accountability, and Support
Rewards, Priority & Focus Schools
Turnaround Principals
3. Principal 3
Supporting Effective Instruction and Leadership
Guidelines for Teacher & Principal Evaluation Systems

6. Principal 1:
College & Career Expectations for All
Requirements for ESEA waiver:
• Adopt college- and career-ready (CCR) standards in at least
reading/language arts and mathematics (not required to adopt
Common Core standards; state’s standards would need approval
from Institutions of Higher Education that students who meet
standards would not need remediation in college)
• Transition to and implementation of CCR standards
• Develop and administer statewide, aligned, high-quality
assessments that measure student growth
• Adopt English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards for English
Learners that correspond to the state’s new CCR standards and
develop aligned ELP assessments

7. Principle 2:
Accountability & Support
Requirements for ESEA waiver:
• Accountability system for all schools
– Provide a state developed differentiated accountability system
for all schools to improve student achievement and school
performance, close achievement gaps, and increase the quality
of instruction for all students
• AMO targets
– Set ambitious but achievable AMO targets for the percent of
students proficient in English/Language Arts and Math; report
for all students and all NCLB subgroups annually
• Incentives and supports for all Title I schools
• Build state, district, and school capacity to improve student
learning in all schools

8. Principle 2:
Reward, Priority & Focus Schools
Requirements for ESEA waiver:
• Reward schools: Provide incentives and recognition for
high-progress and highest-performing Title I schools
• Priority schools: Identify at least 5% of Title I lowestperforming schools and implement interventions
aligned with the turnaround principles required by US
ED in the waiver package
• Focus schools: Identify at least 10% of Title I schools as
those with the greatest achievement gaps or low
graduation rates and implement interventions in those
schools to close achievement gaps and raise graduation
rates

9. Principle 2:
Turnaround Principles
Requirements for ESEA waiver:
Required for 3 years in Priority schools:
• Ensure strong leadership by replacing the principal or
demonstrate principal effectiveness;
• ensure effective teachers by reviewing quality of staff and
retaining those determined to be effective and providing
professional development;
• Redesign school day, week or year to provide additional time for
student learning and teacher collaboration;
• ensure research-based and aligned instructional programs;
• use student data to inform instruction;
• establish positive school environment; and
• provide mechanisms for family and community engagement

10. Principle 3:
Support Effective Instruction & Leadership
Requirements for ESEA Waiver:
• Develop and adopt state guidelines for local
teacher and principal evaluation and support
systems
• Ensure districts implement teacher and principal
evaluation and support systems that are
consistent with state guidelines
• Support teacher and principal effectiveness
beyond the current highly qualified teacher
requirements

11. Principle 3:
Guidelines for Teacher & Principal Evaluation
Requirements for ESEA Waiver:
The teacher and principal evaluation systems must:
• be used for continual improvement of instruction;
• differentiate performance with at least 3 levels;
• include as a significant factor data on student learning growth
for all students (including English Learners and students with
disabilities), and other measures of professional practice;
• evaluate teachers and principals on a regular basis;
• provide clear, timely, and useful feedback, including feedback
that identifies needs and guides professional development;
and be used to inform personnel decisions.

12. What happens if ESEA is reauthorized?
– The state would be required to implement the
provisions of the new law at the time it takes
effect. Some of the elements of the waiver
provisions might be continued under the new law,
and others would need to be changed.

13. Current Headlines

14. Current Headlines

15. Current Headlines