The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), signed in December 2015, provides that states will have more authority and accountability in ensuring the education of their children. ESSA encourages states to meaningfully engage stakeholders of education. PPA is partnering with MDE and the Council of Michigan Foundations to ensure that diverse voices are heard and that all perspectives are understood.
Colleen Graber, PPA’s Vice President and Director of Education and Workforce, who is leading this work, notes: “As the major legislation behind K-12 education, ESSA represents an important opportunity for Michigan to ensure accountability for our students’ success, and to do so in ways that foster equity, partnership, and continuous improvement. The Michigan Top 10 in 10 vision provides a further framing to ensure that Michigan’s ESSA plan addresses the whole child and multi-tiered collaboration.”
Through funding from the Steelcase Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, PPA is assisting MDE with gathering stakeholder input for the State’s ESSA plan. PPA is conducting online focus groups with parents, teachers, and paraprofessionals on behalf of MDE. In addition, PPA will work closely with MDE staff to develop a communications plan, conduct survey data analysis and reporting, support outreach during public comment and implementation phases, and evaluate stakeholder outreach overall.
For more information about PPA’s partnership with the Michigan Department of Education, contact Colleen Graber at 517-485-4477.