ED Outlines Procedures for State ESSA Plan Amendments

The U.S. Department of Education is instructing chief state school officers on how to make changes to their ESSA plans for the 2019-2020 school year.

With almost half of all states getting new governors, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Secondary and Elementary Education is giving chief state school officers some guidance on how to make changes to their Every Student Succeeds Act plans.  In a recent letter signed by Frank Brogan, assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education, a process is outlined for states to make amendments to their plans.

Prior to making any changes to state plans, states are required to get proposed amendments approved by the U.S. Department of Education. When submitting an amendment, states must submit the following:

  1. A redlined version of the approved consolidated state plan that reflects all proposed changes;
  2. A cover letter describing the proposed changes;
  3. The signature of the chief state school officer or authorized representative; and
  4. A description of how the state provided the public a reasonable opportunity to comment on the plan

 

All amendments must be submitted for the 2019-2020 school year no later than March 1, 2019.  While the Department of Education will continue to accept amendments after the deadline, they may not be approved in time for the state to make "accountability determinations" before the start of the 2019-2020 school year.

The full letter can be found here.

About the Author

Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe covering education policy and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.

Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.

Friedman can be contacted at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.

Click here for previous articles by Friedman.


Featured

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • chart with ascending bars and two silhouetted figures observing it, set against a light background with blue and purple tones

    Report: Enterprises Are Embracing Agentic AI

    According to a new report from SnapLogic, 50% of enterprises are already deploying AI agents, and another 32% plan to do so within the next 12 months..

  • zSpace Imagine Learning Solution

    zSpace Debuts Headset-Free AR/VR System

    Immersive learning company zSpace has announced the zSpace Imagine Learning Solution, a headset-free AR/VR laptop system designed for elementary education. The all-in-one platform integrates hardware, software, and hands-on lessons to create dynamic learning experiences for young students.

  • AI robot with cybersecurity symbol on its chest

    Microsoft Announces New Agentic AI Tools for Security Copilot

    Microsoft has expanded its AI-powered cybersecurity platform, introducing a suite of autonomous agents to help organizations counter rising threats and manage the growing complexity of cloud and AI security.