National PTA Perspective on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Overview of ESEA
ESEA and the Federal Role in Education
ESEA, which represents the broadest federal role in elementary and secondary education in America’s history, advances education as an important national priority. As part of its national purpose to help all children receive an excellent education, ESEA programs target a relatively small but effectively used pool of money to supplement state and local efforts to help children who need extra services. These children include those with limited-English proficiency, in poverty, and at risk of dropping out of school. ESEA also aids schools and school districts with special needs, such as urban and rural schools, isolated and under-served schools that use technology for long distance learning, and schools near military bases that receive federal funding in lieu of local property taxes.

Education is key to maintaining our democracy and achieving national well-being, stability, and productivity. America as a whole benefits as much as individuals and families do from ESEA’s purpose of improving education for all children. The federal government, through the U.S. Department of Education, provides leadership in assuring consistency and accountability for results in carrying out national programs such as those in ESEA. For instance, the department provides guidance on how ESEA programs are to be implemented and evaluated, and on the setting of requirements and procedures for oversight and accountability.

Another department role is to disseminate effective models of research-based methods and programs. As a result of ESEA, which emphasizes reform and innovation, the department has built a constantly evolving knowledge base on effective programs and practices and has established national clearinghouses and consortia to disseminate this information.

The department also gathers and disseminates to state and local educators statistics on children, schools, and education; the results of national studies; evaluations of national programs; and reports on education methods and issues. State and local educators and policy makers use this information when making their decisions.

History of ESEA
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act has been the most sweeping federal measure to improve children’s education in our nation’s history. The law was designed to improve overall education in the United States and advance educational equity. It was also the first federal attempt to focus aid through categorical programs aimed at specific needs rather than to provide general aid to education.

The law has been reauthorized every five years since 1965. Its original provisions, which were to aid public schools affected by poverty, to fund the purchase of materials for school libraries and classrooms, to establish model schools and use community centers to supplement school services, and to strengthen state departments of education, have been considerably broadened. Over the years, ESEA has evolved as needs have changed and new concerns have been identified.

Improvements to ESEA in the 1994 Reauthorization
ESEA’s programs were last reauthorized in 1994, in the Improving America’s Schools Act (IASA), and the law is sometimes referred to by this name. The 1994 revisions give states and localities more flexibility in attaining educational goals and implementing reforms. For example, Title I program requirements were changed to reflect research demonstrating that improving the whole school raises the quality of teaching and learning for all children. Schools are encouraged to combine funds from Title I and other ESEA programs to reorganize their education programs in order to meet the needs of the entire student body and improve the whole school.

Title I reforms are based on the principle that all children can achieve and learn both basic and advanced skills. Title I mandates that states set "challenging" learning standards and that schools be held accountable for ensuring that their students achieve these high standards. Then schools must align, or change, their curricula to be in accord with these state standards. Through the assistance of ESEA programs, states and school districts aid students in reaching the standards. As part of the accountability process, schools must assess student achievement using the same assessment tools for all children, including those who are low-achieving, limited-English proficient, and disabled. The aim of these measures is to raise the expectations for and the achievement of all children, especially the educationally disadvantaged.

The parent involvement provisions in Title I were also strengthened in 1994. For example schools are required to develop school-parent compacts. These agreements outline the responsibilities of both the school and the parent in helping children learn. Title I now includes a greater focus on obtaining parent input and disseminating information about school programs, services, and policies to parents. While National PTA strongly supports the parent involvement provisions in Title I, the provisions must be implemented more fully, with increased accountability, and parent involvement provisions should be incorporated or strengthened in other ESEA programs. Overall, National PTA strongly believes that the reforms and innovations of the IASA, many of which are still in their infancy, must be continued and strengthened in the current reauthorization of ESEA. Now is not the time to change course.

Go to National PTA Priorities for Improving ESEA Programs