December 2, 2015

The Honorable John Kline The Honorable Robert Scott

Education and the Workforce Committee Education and the Workforce Committee

2181 Rayburn House Office Building 2101 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Lamar Alexander The Honorable Patty Murray

Committee on Health, Education Committee on Health, Education,

Labor, and Pensions Labor, and Pensions

428 Dirksen Senate Office Building 835 Hart Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20150

Dear Rep. Kline, Sen. Alexander, Rep. Scott, and Sen. Murray:

On behalf of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), thank you for your collective leadership

in moving forward the Every Student Succeeds Act, a bipartisan reauthorization of the

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This ESEA rewrite reflects a spirit of

compromise yet contains a number of provisions that will be beneficial to Latino and English

learner students. For this reason, despite the legislation’s imperfections, NCLR supports this

ESEA reauthorization. These measures stand to lift the academic success and achievement of

the 13 million Latino children enrolled in U.S. schools.

Since passage of the last ESEA reauthorization—No Child Left Behind—more than one decade

ago, the number of Latino and English learner students nationwide has grown significantly.

Today, Latino students make up one in four of all school-age children in the United States. The

number of English learners has also grown to nearly five million students, roughly 80% from

Spanish-speaking households. The Every Student Succeeds Act includes language that ensures

these students will be held to rigorous academic goals to ensure they are prepared for the

challenges of higher education and the modern workplace.

In particular, NCLR is encouraged by the following:

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires states include English learners in their

accountability system. Previously, schools had separate accountability systems for

English learners under Title III. This bill adds English language proficiency as a required

indicator in state accountability systems. This provision will ensure schools are

measuring both proficiency and academic achievement for these students.

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires standard entry and exit criteria for

English learners. Districts nationwide will need to establish uniform criteria for

identifying English learners and when English learners reach proficiency. This

standardization will eliminate disparities across districts by creating a single benchmark

to measure and report on progress.

The Every Student Succeeds Act includes reporting on English learners with

disabilities and long-term English learners. This new data will provide parents and

advocates the tools needed to ensure schools are serving students with unique academic

needs.

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires parental notification when a child is

identified as an English learner. Schools must also provide parents with a detailed plan

of action for that child to reach proficiency.

In addition to these, the Every Student Succeeds Act requires intervention if Latino and English

learner students consistently fail to meet academic goals. The inclusion of accountability—a

long-time priority of NCLR and our partners in the civil rights and business communities—is a

clear sign of progress from the start of this reauthorization effort one year ago to the final

product now before us. The trajectory of this reauthorization, however, has been to devolve

authority back to states and districts to determine goals and timelines for improvement. In this

context, much work will need to be done with parents and advocates at the state and local levels

to ensure meaningful interventions occur on behalf of our most vulnerable students.

In the months ahead, we plan to work with allies as well as our nearly 300 Affiliates—local

community-based organizations and charter schools—to prepare parents and stakeholders across

the country for the challenges they will soon face fighting for their children in states and

districts. We hope you and your staff will join us as we seek to implement this important

legislation in a manner consistent with the ESEA’s original promise as civil rights legislation.

Please feel free to contact Victoria Benner, Senior Legislative Analyst, at (202) 776-1760 or

vbenner@nclr.org if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Eric Rodriguez

Vice President

Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation