FutureEd is an Independent, Solution-oriented Voice for American Education.


Dear Colleagues,
 
With the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) on the front burner in many state education agencies, FutureEd has sought to highlight several strategies for using the federal law to leverage improvement in the nation's schools. 
 
Senior Fellow Lynn Olson takes readers inside Tennessee's ambitious statewide teacher reforms in a new FutureEd report, revealing just how much one state can accomplish with the right strategies. The reforms have not only improved teaching and learning in the Volunteer State, but also brought greater accountability to teacher preparation. You'll find much of the evidence in our infographic.
 
Chris Minnich, CEO of NWEA, encourages states to give student growth over a school year a significant role in measuring school performance under ESSA, rather than merely measuring the proportion of students achieving proficiency standards. 
 
Paige Kowalski and Brennan McMahon Parton of the Data Quality Campaign outline ways states can make their new ESSA-mandated school report cards  more valuable for families And as many states elevate the importance of combating chronic student absenteeism under ESSA, Editorial Director Phyllis Jordan highlights a simple, inexpensive but successful strategy for reducing absenteeism rates:  "nudging" students and families to better attendance.
 
On another front, Mathematica's Brian Gill brings his expertise as one of the nation's leading charter school researchers to the fraught issue of charter schools and segregation. And we summarize several important new research studies in our regular Reading List feature
 
Other regular features on our website include  The Churn , which chronicles leadership changes in the education sector. The Horizon gathers in one place significant upcoming events. And FutureU showcases the lively higher education podcast series produced by FutureEd Senior Fellow Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn. 
 
Thanks and best wishes,
 
Tom

Thomas Toch
Director, FutureEd
McCourt School of Public Policy
Georgetown University
ttoch@future-ed.org
@thomas_toch



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