Schools with large ESL and special education students are held to the same test score standards as their native English-speaking, non-special education students. By the last count, nearly half of all American public schools are now considered failing.

it moves the accountability for tests scores down from the state to the individual teachers.

ESSA allows states to break the tests into “smaller components that can be given throughout the school year

States that wanted their fair share of federal funding were required to fix schools that failed to improve test scores adequately