CCR and ESSA

College and career-ready high school graduates must have the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities to succeed in life. Parents, families, educators, employers, and policy makers now focus on these skills and knowledge to ensure students receive academic preparation, skills training, life planning, social support and resources. Students are learning critical thinking and reasoning skills necessary to engage in our complex work environments and compete in our global economy. States have adopted higher, more focused standards and aligned assessments to better prepare students for college, technical schools, the military and careers.

College and Career Readiness means that a student is prepared to go directly to work or enroll and succeed – without remediation – in a variety of postsecondary institutions so that they are ready to enter a career of their choice.

As parents, one of our goals is to make sure our children receive a high school diploma. But - what does this diploma mean? What can students actually accomplish when they graduate? Does the diploma mean they have the skills needed for the next steps in life? Are students actually prepared for college or career?

Components of College and Career Readiness:

Academic and Content Knowledge
Cognitive and Higher-order Thinking Strategies
Social and Emotional Intelligences
College and Career Preparedness
Employability and Life Skills

Family engagement plays a crucial role in education. PTA advocates as a powerful voice for all children and a relevant resource for families and communities - providing resources to help parents and families support and assist with their child's education including readiness for college and career. PTA's focus on college and career readiness supports our mission to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. By working together to ensure America's youth are prepared when they graduate high school, we ensure they are ready for life! If you would like Arkansas PTA to come to your school or community and answer questions or do a workshop or training please click to submit an invitation form. Don't forget, we bring snacks and goodies everywhere we go.

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CCR Resources

Check out these wonderful resources from National PTA about CCR (College and Career Readiness Initiative).

Understanding CCR

College and Career Readiness Initiative

News from the office of :

Programs

Recorded Webinars

What is the Every Student Succeeds Act? What does this mean for my child and for family engagement in school districts and schools? The first stop for every PTA member in the state is understanding how this new law works and the implications for you, PTA, your school and your state. It is imperative to learn about the new changes in ESSA before you can teach other PTA members in your state about the new law. If you would like Arkansas PTA to come to your school or community and answer questions or do a workshop or training please click to submit an invitation form. Don't forget, we bring snacks and goodies everywhere we go.

A History of ESEA

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was first signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Nearly 40 years later, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) into law in 2002 which reauthorized the original ESEA. In December 2015, the U.S. Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), a new law to replace NCLB. President Obama subsequently signed ESSA into law on Dec. 10, 2015.

Roadmaps to Navigate ESSA

National PTA, Arkansas PTA, our constituent associations and advocates across the country are seeking to empower all families to be active participants in the state and local implementation of ESSA to ensure equity and opportunity for all students. Click our Roadmap to learn how you can get involved in ESSA implementation at the state, local and school level.

ESSA Stakeholder Engagement

The U.S. Department of Education released a new guide for states to use while developing their education plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). While ESSA requires meaningful stakeholder engagement, the new guide does not compel states to include a description of how they are engaging stakeholders while developing their plans. National PTA is extremely disappointed that stakeholder engagement is no longer prioritized in the new guide.

To assist state and local PTA members as they work to ensure state leaders include a description of how different stakeholders have been meaningfully engaged in the implementation of the new state education plans, National PTA has put together this stakeholder toolkit, which contains template letters, sample graphics and messaging you can use when talking to state leaders.

Arkansas State Plan Approved January 16, 2018

The Arkansas Department of Education has submitted the Arkansas State Plan to the U.S. Department of Education in accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The passage of ESSA provided an accelerated path for the goal of providing student-focused learning to be realized, and ADE team members are excited about the results we expect to see in the coming years. Please review the plan and read the submission letter: Arkansas State Plan.

More About Us

AR PTA Myth-Busting ESSA

ESSA Resources

Check out these wonderful resources from National PTA about ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) and the implementation of our federal education law. We still need funding in Fiscal Year 2018 for Statewide Family Engagement Centers which PTA knows is the key to the continued success of our students!