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Federal Programs

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ESEA/ESSA (formerly NCLB)

When the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed in 1965, it committed new funding to education to ensure equitable access to educational resources and opportunities for all students. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 reauthorized the ESEA and recognizes that all children can achieve the same high standards when taught by highly qualified teachers using proven methods in an appropriate learning environment. The goal of this act was to provide educators assistance in planning and implementing programs that were designed to close the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers. Accountability, choice, flexibility, and methodology were the four pillars of reform in NCLB and were used to establish requirements and regulations for states to determine eligibility. This act was reauthorized in December 2015 and is now referred to as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and has taken the place of NCLB. This is the most recent reauthorization of ESEA.

In August 2017 the USDOE approved New Jersey's ESSA State Plan. This plan focuses on equity for all students, support for the schools that need it most, and the promise that all children attend a school providing the support and skills they need to thrive throughout their school experience and beyond. NJDOE administers funds under ESSA through a consolidated grant application process to local education agencies (LEA). Evesham Township School District is a participating LEA working on behalf of both public and non-public students residing within our community.

Under ESEA, states are required to implement an accountability system with differentiated recognitions, interventions and supports. One component of this system is the calculation of progress targets for each district school that participates in the state's assessment system. The NJDOE established annual equal increments so that within six years the percentage of non-proficient students in all subgroups is reduced by half. In addition, the state established a proficiency goal of 90 percent; this goal was to be increased to 95 percent in 2015; however, due to a new state assessment all targets were reset. A school is determined to meet the state's expectations if it either meets its designated progress target or the state proficiency goal. Any school that does not meet the identified annual progress targets and/or the state proficiency goal in any one subgroup or more, is required to be represented on a district/school action plan that articulates how it will address the needs of student populations that fell below the target. ETSD currently has no action plans in place. To view annual school/district performance data click here.

IDEA

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the main federal statute that authorizes federal aid for the education of children with disabilities. States that receive federal funds are required to provide a free, appropriate public education to all children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. The current version of the act was passed in 2004; however, continues to be based on the law first created in 1975 known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.


Federal Program Monitoring

The NJDOE periodically reviews federal programs for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The district was last monitored during the 2014-2015 school year.

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