Every Student Succeeds Act

Dear Chairman Alexander, Chairman Kline, Senator Murray and Representative Scott:

The nation’s governors fully endorse the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and call on Congress to pass this landmark legislation before the end of the year.

Governors have long advocated for a clear bipartisan law that restores balance to the state-federal education relationship. Governors took the extraordinary step of formally endorsing ESSA, the National Governors Association’s first formal endorsement in nearly 20 years, because ESSA meets that challenge and will help us improve education for all our students.

ESSA is poised to transform the federal system – returning responsibility to the states and once again allowing school leaders, educators and parents to determine the best strategies for ensuring a high-quality education for students. ESSA dramatically reduces the federal footprint while encouraging and building on state efforts to expand educational opportunities for students who need help the most.

Governors recognize that education is the key to securing a successful future for our students and our nation. We call on Congress to join us by passing ESSA this year to help guarantee that the nation’s future, our children, have the best opportunity to succeed.

Sincerely,