The EdTrust –West and UnidosUS issued the following statement on California’s revised Every Student Succeeds Act state plan:

“The California State Board of Education voted yesterday to approve a revised accountability plan that makes no substantive improvements to earlier versions and fails to identify and support low-performing schools. In doing so, they have turned their backs on the parents and students in our most struggling schools—schools that urgently need additional attention, resources and support. Although 1 in 4 California school districts will receive assistance, there are individual school sites in those districts and elsewhere across the state that need a deeper level of help. In a state where two-thirds of Latino and Black students are reading below grade level, this sends the wrong message about the state’s commitment to closing opportunity and achievement gaps.  We agree with Boardmember Ortiz-Licon, who stood alone in voting against the plan and commenting ‘We are a great state. But, we are still missing the mark and we need to own that as well.‘”

Boardmember Feliza Ortiz-Licon Offers Comments