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December 18, 2015
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We will take a short publishing break during this holiday season. Look for the next  Issues  on Friday, January 8th. 
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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Like Stark County: A Game Changer

States and school districts that have led the way with deep commitment to positive change...are seeing meaningful gains in student achievement. - The White House

When P resident Barack Obama signed ESSA [1] into law on December 10th, it did more than just reauthorize the old Elementary and Secondary Education Act. His signature served as a vindication for the hard work of community leaders and educators in Stark County and elsewhere across the nation who have worked for a generation to bring positive changes to their schools.

From preschool to post secondary, the spirit of the law supports many innovations foreseen by Stark County years ago. Consider testing, for one. The new law calls for fewer, better assessments, including those aligned with college and career ready standards.

In 2004, when the state was moving ahead to implement the Ohio Graduation Test, the Stark Education Partnership - under the leadership of Judge W. Don Reader - published Advancing Ohio's P-16 Agenda: Exit and Entrance Exam? That landmark document, later on the web site of the Education Commission of the States (ECS)[2] for years, asked: "What if a single test in Ohio could meet several needs at once? What if a test could not only measure Ohio ΚΌs K-12 academic standards, but also serve for college admission and (given that the basic skills needed for both college and the workplace are now virtually the same) career entry?" [3]

Now over a decade later, Ohio is moving towards new testing options[4]and the Class of 2017 will be the last required to pass the OGT. Students will have the option of using ACT or SAT scores in lieu of new end of course exam requirements.
About the Partnership Long Header
The Stark Education Partnership, Inc., is a 501(c)-3 non-profit education reform support organization in Stark County, Ohio crossing the lines of 17 public school districts. The Partnership collaborates with educators, business, community and civic leaders to create and respond to opportunities that will add substantial and measurable value to education. 

 
Questions or comments? Email septpurses@gmail.com or call 330-452-0829. Visit our website at http://www.edpartner.org