More than a year after the coronavirus pandemic forced school closures across New York State, one concern remains top of mind for parents – how the loss of instructional time in the classroom will affect their children.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced No Child Left Behind, gives states considerable flexibility to craft their own accountability systems — in the process asking states to make crucial decisions about what it means to be a successful school, what rate of academic progress is acceptable, and what to do when schools are not meeting our expectations.

ESSA presents a critical opportunity to improve New York’s education system – a system driven by massive systemic inequities in access, opportunity and performance, especially for students of color, low-income students, students with disabilities, and English learners.