TOOLS

Chiefs for Change has released new tools and resources for states considering using the new flexibility within Title I for the umbrella of student supports known as Direct Student Services (DSS). The new tools are relevant to states interested in targeting funding for innovative approaches for students and families to access greater supports for college and career readiness. In partnership with a coalition of state education leaders, Chiefs for Change developed a model application that states can customize based on their priorities for DSS and overall school improvement strategies. The application outlines eligibility criteria and the components districts will be required to submit should they choose to apply for funds to establish a district-level DSS program. The application also includes discussion points for states to consider as they develop and customize their own applications.

A new web-based tool will offer far greater ease and clarity for state and district leaders seeking to set learning goals and measure progress under the sweeping Every Student Succeeds Act. The tool, called the Student Growth Simulator, was developed by Chiefs for Change, researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Education, and Tembo, an education technology firm. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) passed in December 2015, replaced the No Child Left Behind Act and requires that every state establish in their educational policies ambitious long-term goals and measurements of interim progress for academic achievement, graduation rates, and English-language proficiency. Goals must be set for all students and for each subgroup of students, so that the lowest-performing subgroups make the greatest progress.

ESSA includes a new provision championed by Chiefs for Change that will provide states with resources to support DSS and address the access gaps that exist in far too many of our highest need schools. This is possible through a 3% discretionary state reserve of Title I funding. If all states take advantage of this new provision, over $425 million annually would be available to involve families in choosing personalized, outcomes-driven education services for their children. This map shows allocations that each state can expect to have available for DSS.