Dive Brief:

• The Every Student Succeeds Act includes funding for a new grant program under Title IV, Part A, which emphasizes access to a variety of disciplines, including the arts, social studies, computer science, environmental education and civics.
• The U.S. Department of Education has released non-regulatory guidance to help schools and districts provide such a well-rounded education, offering information about allowable use of funds, application requirements and fiscal responsibilities.
• The guidance also recommends strategies for leveraging available funding to maximize the impact of related programs and services, identifying and investing in local needs, improving school learning conditions, incorporating technology and engaging students.

Dive Insight:

One of the most celebrated aspects of the Every Student Succeeds Act is the move away from accountability based near-solely on student performance on reading and math assessments. This accountability structure set those two subjects up as the most important, leaving other disciplines to be perceived as extras. When cuts were necessary, the arts were often the first to go, even though research shows how beneficial access to the arts can be for student learning and development.

ESSA actually defines what a well-rounded education means, highlighting science, technology, engineering, foreign languages, civics and government, computer science, economics, arts, history, geography, music, career and technical education, health, and physical education, while leaving the door open to “any other subject” states or districts identify as important to providing an enriched curriculum. That is a major step away from No Child Left Behind, which simply focused on “core academic subjects,” and it is sure to lead to a shift in schools.