The Biden Administration’s Approach to the ESSA Act

Gwinnett SToPP and education advocates around the country are anticipating major changes from the Biden-Harris Administration. President-elect Biden promises that the Every Student Succeeds Act, which was signed into law under the Obama-Biden Administration in 2015, will receive significant reinforcements, overturning the Trump Administration’s approach to stripping funding and privatizing education. What is ESSA? ESSA is a school improvement process and the replacement for the federal education law No Child Left Behind. Its purpose is to close the opportunity and resource gaps for students in low-income communities of color. At Gwinnett SToPP, we have always said that discipline and resources are directly linked. Misbehavior is a product of an unmet need and the punitive policies and practices of Gwinnett County Public Schools and districts around this county exacerbate the root cause.

Biden has made several major commitments to help with resource gaps:

1. Substantially increase funding to low-income schools by tripling funding to Title 1 schools (schools designated for more funding and improvement).
2. Address underfunded mental health services for students by doubling the number of psychologist, counselors, nurses, and social workers.
3. Invest in early education by providing universal pre-k for all three and four year-olds.

These commitments which focus on behavioral support and increasing Title 1 funding could begin to address issues in discipline. It is past time for resources and adequate educational supports. The ends were not meeting for many people before the pandemic. We have yet to grasp the long-term damage that pandemic has had on Black and Native communities, their mental health and education. It is our hope that the Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to equitable funding to meet the needs of marginalized students. We need to stop punishing and start teaching the whole child.