Iowa Department of Education to host public forum as federal education policy shifts

CEDAR RAPIDS - The first in a series of statewide public forums meant to gauge public opinion about Iowa's implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Grant Wood Area Education Agency.

The law, which replaces the No Child Left Behind Act and was passed with bipartisan support in December, returns a significant amount of control over public schools to states. The legislation scraps federal requirements for school districts to give students enrolled in struggling schools the option to transfer to another school or use free tutoring services.

Instead, states must develop their own practices for supporting those high-need schools and their students, according to an Iowa Department of Education news release.

The Department is hosting additional forums in Des Moines and Bettendorf this week and in Sioux City early next month. Comments also may be sent to essa@iowa.gov.