The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released their Massachusetts Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plan on what determines a successful school in the Commonwealth.
Access and participation in arts education for grades K-12 is squarely in the Massachusetts ESSA State Plan and is specifically placed as a strategy to broaden the curriculum for every Massachusetts child. Read the highlights of the plan here.
This is a direct result of thoughtful research and analysis by the DESE staff and the work by the public encouraging state officials to include access and participation in arts education as an indicator of success in K-12 Massachusetts schools. Great work by all.
DESE is welcoming public comments until March 9, before the DESE board votes to approve the Massachusetts ESSA State Plan. DESE then expects to submit their approved plan to the U.S. Department of Education on April 3.
