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Gradebook podcast: Florida’s ESSA plan wins approval, criticism

Concerns remain that the plan does not support vulnerable students, including English language learners and minorities.
Teacher Robert Haskins works with ninth-graders Antonia Cortez, left, and Crisina Ventura using an iPad mini app that flashes pictures of items for the students to identify in English. SKIP O'ROURKE | Times [2013]
Teacher Robert Haskins works with ninth-graders Antonia Cortez, left, and Crisina Ventura using an iPad mini app that flashes pictures of items for the students to identify in English. SKIP O'ROURKE | Times [2013]
Published Sept. 27, 2018|Updated Sept. 27, 2018

On Sept. 26, 2018, Florida finally won approval for its Every Student Succeeds Act plan, after five revisions required by the federal Education Department. Throughout the process, civil rights activists encouraged Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to continue rejecting the state proposal, arguing it did not well serve the state’s most vulnerable students. They repeated their criticism after the approval came out. LULAC Florida state director Mari Corugedo discusses those continuing concerns with reporter Jeff Solochek.

Related coverage: Florida wins approval for its federal accountability plan 

Read more: Florida Department of Education Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plan