ESSA’s State accountability systems are highly data-driven drilling down to student subgroups. Thus, ESSA’s data requirements address student data privacy and intersect with other Federal laws, namely, FERPA. This article examines the data sets required by ESSA, regulatory requirements for handling student information, and principles of best practice with regard to educational data.
The upcoming school year, 2017-2018, marks a transition into implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the law that replaces No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Most States will submit their completed plans to the USDE for review and approval this fall, and the September 18th due date for submissions is just around the corner. ESSA gives States significant leeway in planning their accountability systems.