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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

ESSA State Plan Background

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law in December 2015, amending the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and replacing No Child Left Behind provisions. With a strong, proven accountability system, Florida is already ahead of most of the nation as it relates to the requirements laid out in ESSA. Student performance has consistently improved since Florida introduced rigorous accountability measures.

States were required to submit a state plan describing their approach to ESSA compliance. The department held a first round of public input summer 2016 via online survey, and outreach continued throughout the school year to educator associations and stakeholder groups. The commissioner also convened a superintendents’ workgroup to provide input on major decision points. Then, a draft of the state plan was posted for public comment June 30-July 31, 2017. There were 450 respondents (1,295 comments) to the accompanying online survey. The comments were reviewed and further refinements were made. The state plan was submitted to the Governor for review, as required by ESSA. Florida received approval from the U.S. Department of Education on September 26, 2018.

In 2023, Florida proposed an amendment to its State Plan to reflect accountability provisions updated in state law.

Florida’s Amended Approved ESSA State Plan – August 2, 2023 (PDF)

Florida’s Approved ESSA State Plan - September 26, 2018 (PDF)

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by ESSA (PDF)

Schools Identified for Support under ESSA

Florida Report Cards (Know Your Schools)

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