The new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is shifting state accountability systems away from test-driven academic performance toward a balance between academic and non-academic factors.

John Thompson is a truth-teller. A Teacher's Tale, his new book, honestly addresses the toughest issue in American education--how to improve urban schools impacted by concentrations of poor children.

It's up to educators, families and community partners to step up to this challenge and partner with our state and district leaders to realize the community schools vision for our public schools - a vision that unites school, family, and community for young people's success.

ESSA retains the expectation that schools should help all groups of students, but l worry that some educators might think the flexibility about methods gives them permission to settle back into old patterns of assuming that it's okay if some kids will "get it" and some kids won't.

We have districts that are looking at structural changes based not on what's best for the students or even what works best with the available physical plants. They are looking at structural changes primarily based on what will have the best effect on their test-based accountability measures.