Every Student Succeeds Act to Benefit Students with Disabilities

First there was the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and then the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Now, we have the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which was signed into law by President Obama on December 10th. This bill includes:

• Improvements to basic programs operated by state and local education agencies
• Preparing, training, and recruiting high-quality teachers, principals, or other school leaders
• Language instruction for English learners and immigrant students
• "21st Century Schools" (Learning Centers, Magnet Schools, and Charter Schools)
• Other program information and general provisions

^{Photo: Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images}

“With this bill, we reaffirm that fundamentally American ideal that every child – regardless of race, income, background, the zip code where they live – deserves the chance to make out of their lives what they want.” - President Obama

According to a DisabilityScoop report, the ESSA will have a positive impact on students with disabilities, by protecting their rights to a free education. The report quotes Denise Marshall, executive director at the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates: "We are cautiously optimistic...It continues the message that all kids count and all kids can learn and states now have an obligation to make that happen."

Read the full ESSA here (1,061 pg PDF) | Read the full DisabilityScoop Report here | Read the ESSA "Fact Sheet" from The White House Press Secretary | Watch a USA Today video