The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) is now accepting public input on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and that I would greatly appreciate your engagement in this very important dialogue. Through July 22, 2016, all members of the public will be able to submit comments on each component of the law, and we will consider this feedback as we develop Florida's draft state plan. To access the public input form, please visit http://www.fldoe.org/academics/essa.stml

For ease, we have divided the feedback form into specific sections named in the law (#1-7), each title named in the law (#8) and U.S. Department of Education draft regulations (#9). You are welcome to provide input on as many of these as you would like, but you are not required to respond to all. Likewise, it is not mandatory to answer every question on a specific topic.

• Challenging State Academic Standards
• Academic Assessments
• State Assessment Grants
• Statewide Accountability System
• School Improvement
• School Support and Improvement Activities
• Direct Student Services
• General Comments by Title of the Act (Titles I-VIII)
• U.S. DOE Draft Regulations on Accountability, State Plans and Data Reporting

It is important to note that, as we continue through this process, there will be additional opportunities for stakeholders to offer suggestions. Once FDOE develops Florida's draft state plan, we will again ask you and all of our state's education stakeholders to provide feedback before the state plan is submitted to the U.S. Department of Education.

The Florida Department of Education is sharing this news with all of our stakeholder groups, and we encourage you to do the same. Attached is a flyer that can be printed for or emailed to your local constituents and a badge for use on social media.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email ESSA@fldoe.org and a member of the FDOE team will get back with you. We thank you for your time and thoughtful input.

Sincerely,
Pam Stewart