December 2, 2015

The Honorable John Kline

Education and the Workforce Committee
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Robert Scott

Education and the Workforce Committee
2101 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Lamar Alexander

Committee on Health, Education
Labor, and Pensions
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Patty Murray

Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions
835 Hart Senate Office Building
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 legislations 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 reauthorizationNo Child Left Behindmore 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 accountabilitya
long-time priority of NCLR and our partners in the civil rights and business communitiesis 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 Affiliateslocal
community-based organizations and charter schoolsto 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 ESEAs 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