Please Take Action by Urging Commissioner MaryEllen Elia and the Board of Regents to include our Opportunity to Learn Index as the school quality indicator in the new state Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) accountability system. ESSA requires states to rate schools on academic factors such as test scores and graduation rates, but also to include a nonacademic school quality, or student success factor, of their choice in the system.

NYSAPE and Class Size Matters have proposed that an Opportunity to Learn index be incorporated into the new accountability system as the school quality indicator.  This would encourage schools to provide a well-rounded education, including small classes, arts, science, physical education, sufficient counselors, and more. Why? Because these are the features that evidence shows lead to better student outcomes and that most parents want to see in their children’s schools.

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