WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced the approval of Arizona’s consolidated state plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

“After reviewing Arizona’s plan and ensuring it complies with the law, I am pleased to approve it,” said Secretary DeVos. “I commend Governor Ducey, Superintendent Douglas and the many stakeholders in Arizona who helped craft a plan to improve education for the students of the Grand Canyon State.”

Allowing states more flexibility in how they deliver education to students is at the core of ESSA. Each state crafted a plan that it feels will best offer educational opportunities to meet the needs of the state and its students. The following are some of the unique elements from Arizona’s plan:

• Allows elementary and middle schools to earn additional points in its accountability system for accelerating student achievement, including increasing student performance in math, decreasing the number of minimally proficient students, improving the performance of certain student subgroups and/or using an inclusion model for special education.

• Allows high schools to earn additional points in its accountability system for preparing students to be college and career ready, including students performing well in CTE courses, passing college-level courses, earning an industry credential and/or completing a work-based learning internship, among others.