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“Members of the America Forward Coalition applaud the United States Senate for passing the bipartisan Every Child Achieves Act to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) today.

“America Forward supports a reauthorized ESEA that is designed to ensure that all children, whatever their background, receive a first-class education, one that leads to economic security and the chance for a successful life. The Every Child Achieves Act represents an important step forward toward a strong, bipartisan ESEA reauthorization.

“America Forward is particularly pleased by the legislation’s consistent focus on investing in what works (specifically the comprehensive definition of “evidence-based”), the authorization of Pay for Success projects, recognition of the role of effective partnerships, and support for innovative education projects and expanded learning time. In addition, America Forward strongly supports the inclusion of demonstration authority for innovative, competency-based assessments, the focus on the importance of non-academic skills, and the emphasis on recruiting, developing, and retaining top-level teachers and school leaders. Senate floor consideration improved the bill, including important amendments to further support Pay for Success initiatives in early learning and to provide critical information regarding postsecondary enrollment and success of students to schools, educators, and parents.

“The Every Child Achieves Act makes significant progress to ensure that all children receive a first-class education, one that leads to economic security and the chance for a successful life. There is still work to be done to strengthen the bill, including a stronger focus on progress for all subgroups of students. We look forward to working with Senate and House conferees to arrive at a strong, bipartisan reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.”

THE AMERICA FORWARD COALITION is a network of more than 70 innovative, impact-oriented organizations, working in every state and in more than 14,000 communities nationwide, dedicated to driving systemic change in education, early childhood, workforce development, child welfare and criminal justice. America Forward Coalition members share a commitment to innovating to achieve better results, using data to track progress and ensure accountability, and leveraging resources across silos and sectors to improve the lives of the people they serve. Our Coalition organizations are achieving measurable outcomes in communities across the country every day. We believe that policy approaches that spur innovation, focus on outcomes, and reward results can transform these local results into national change and propel all of America forward.

For more on America Forward, please visit www.americaforward.org.