ESSA Policy Work in the States

Thanks to School Library Journal for covering the work we're doing with school library associations across the country on advocacy, policy, and lobbying about their state ESSA Plans.

The framework of educational policies for each state is different, but the commonalities across the ESSA Implementation requirements present a unique opportunity for school librarians to have their issues heard, and for the school library stakeholder community to be better organized for advocacy and lobbying success. We've maintained a list of each state's ESSA dates and deadlines, and are adding each state library association's ESSA TAsk Force work to it as we move through the year. Please click over to School Library Journal for a full discussion:

ESSA Action Focus Pivots To Policy Points
By John Chrastka on October 12, 2016

The focus must be on policy points. By law, each state ESSA implementation plan must address, at a minimum, three action areas: Accountability, Standards and Assessment, and School Improvement. The challenge is to tie the work of your school librarians to the action areas....

As always, we're grateful to Rosen Publishing for their vision, help, and resources to support this multi-state project.

School Library ESSA Policy and Talking Point Examples (as of 11 Oct 2016)

Alaska Association of School Librarians (AkASL)
Letter from AkASL to AK DEED ESSA coordinator and commissioner of education 

Florida Association for Media in Education
Letter to state DOE

Georgia Library Media Association
Listening tour schedule
Listening tour policy points

Idaho Library Association
ESSA task force page

Illinois School Library Media Association (ISLMA)
Letter to Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) asking to be recognized as stakeholder organization
Policy positions for state ESSA Accountability Work Group
Listening Tour talking points and schedule
ISLMA policy response to ISBE ESSA Draft #1

Iowa Association of School Librarians
Listening tour schedule

Maryland Association of School Librarians
ESSA comments

New Hampshire School Library Association
Letter to the state education commissioner 

New Jersey Library Association
The programs report is pretty wicked.

Ohio Educational Library Media Association
State stakeholder survey approach with over 100 members posting policy points

Tennessee Association of School Librarians
Talking points for the state DOE survey