What is the Every Student Succeeds Act?
The Every Student Succeeds Act was signed as a federal law in 2015 by President Obama. This Act replaced the previous law “No Child Left Behind” and aims to increase educational opportunities for students and provide all students with equal access to a quality education. A few of the act’s pillars are:
- Extending flexibility to states
- Empowering communication and transparency with parents
- Ensuring that state-wide assessments and report cards provide valuable information to families and stakeholders
- Increased funding for career and technical education
- Increasing equity for high-need students
- Ensuring schools use innovative resources and lesson plans
- Ensuring accountability and intervention in low performing schools
Through the efforts listed above, the Every Student Succeeds Act has been a bipartisan roadmap to increasing the quality of education in the United States. The vision of President Obama and his fellow lawmakers was to fully prepare students to find success in college, career, and beyond. According to the U.S. Department of Education, these efforts have paid off as student drop-out rates are at an all-time low, graduation rates are higher than ever, and a larger percentage of students are attending college. The Act continues to be a guiding force for public education in the United Stated as educators and families work together to ensure that every child can thrive.
The Every Student Succeeds Act has been a bipartisan roadmap to increasing the quality of education in the United States
How Can Custom, Pre-Printed Student Planners Support the Goals of the Every Student Succeeds Act?
When it comes to teaching, there are certain aspects of the Every Student Succeeds Act that are mandated. For example, educators are required to implement innovative lessons, communicate with parents, and prepare students to be successful on standardized testing. These are all ways that schools are preparing students for the ultimate goal of college and career readiness with equal opportunity. However, educators can enforce these goals and ensure equal opportunity in other ways as well. One great example of a tool that can support the goals of the Every Student Succeeds Act is a custom, pre-printed student planner. When districts or schools provide students with custom student planners, it reaps many benefits that align with the Act. Here are a few examples:
Equal Access for All Students
School supplies can be expensive, and with prices rising the stress put on families is becoming increasingly difficult. According to a 2021 poll by LendingTree, about 1 in 3 families can’t afford to buy school supplies and go into debt when purchasing them. Some students come to school with no supplies at all. Usually, schools will cover the essentials to ensure students have access to supplies like pencils, notebooks, and folders. But when it comes to student planners, that option is not always considered. This leaves an inequity as students whose parents can afford to buy them planners have access to organization and note-taking in ways their peers may not.
A simple solution to increasing equity among students is for districts to bulk order custom, pre-printed student planners and provide them for every student at the beginning of the year. This way, no one is left out and all students have an equal opportunity to stay organized and on top of their schoolwork.
A simple solution to increasing the equity among students is for districts to bulk order custom, pre-printed student planners and provide them for every student at the beginning of the year
Developing 21st Century Skills for College, Career, and Beyond
The driving purpose behind the Every Student Succeeds Act is to successfully prepare students for college, career, and beyond. In today’s society, possessing 21st century soft skills such as leadership, autonomy, teamwork, grit, creativity, organization, and goal setting are equally important to success as mastering content. These skills allow students to stand out from their peers and find success in college, career, and beyond.
Unfortunately, there is a large gap in soft skill education, and many go throughout life without developing these skills. The Society of Human Resources Management identified “lack of relevant workplace soft skills” as a top reason why organizations struggle to find successful candidates for job openings.
To create students who are truly prepared for holistic success in college and careers, educators must explicitly implement skill development in their curriculum. One way to do this is by using student planners and modeling what certain skills will look like. Through consistent planner use, teachers can highlight skills such as note-taking, goal setting, time-management, and organization! These valuable life skills will make students stand out as front runners when applying to colleges or job opportunities.
Increasing Graduation Rates by Improving Parent Involvement
As previously stated, the Every Student Succeeds Act aims to increase transparency and communication with parents. When parents are involved in a student’s education, it can make a world of difference on that child’s success. A policy brief from the National Education Association revealed that parent participation can increase graduation rates by over 40% when compared to students with who lack parent involvement. This statistic alone shows the monumental impact that parent communication and participation can have on a child’s education.
One simple yet powerful tool to communicate with parents is a pre-printed student planner. Student planners double as a hub for parent communication. They serve as a daily space to track behavior, communicate with parents, and document past conversations. When implemented properly, pre-printed student planners can increase the rapport between parents and educators, ultimately increasing that child’s chance of academic success.
Ensuring Every Student Succeeds with Custom, Pre-Printed Student Planners
The Every Student Succeeds Act aims to make the United States a place where every student has equal access to a high-quality, inclusive, and impactful education. Administrators, educators, and families alike all want the same thing: for students to unlock their greatest potential and thrive. When pairing the guidelines of the Every Student Succeeds Act with the power of a tool like custom, pre-printed student planners, students will be empowered to triumph.
If you are interested in ordering custom, pre-printed student planners for your district or school, Mimeo Planners come equipped with tools to help students succeed. Their customizable, durable, and high-quality planners offer endless opportunities to support students.