ESSA Consolidated State Plans

On December 10, 2015, President Obama signed the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The ESSA builds upon the critical work States and local educational agencies (LEAs) have implemented over the last few years. The reauthorized law sets high standards and contains policies that will help prepare all students for success in college and future careers. It prioritizes excellence and equity and recognizes the importance of supporting great educators in our nation's schools. The Secretary is offering guidance on transitioning from the ESEA, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) to the ESEA, as amended by the ESSA.

This guidance includes actions the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has taken or will take consistent with its authority under section 4(b) of NCLB to the ESSA to support States, LEAs, and schools in this transition. ED has prepared these frequently asked questions (FAQs) to support States and LEAs in understanding expectations during the transition to full implementation of the ESSA. If you are interested in commenting on this guidance, or if you have further questions that are not answered here, please e-mail essa.questions@ed.gov using the subject “ESSA transition question” or write to us at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202. Please note that this guidance is available in electronic form on ED's website ([www.ed.gov](http://www.ed.gov)) in the Laws section. ED will update this document on a rolling basis.