Is ESSA a federal law?
Ethan Hayes
Published Jan 07, 2026
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the federal K-12 education law of the United States.
What kind of law is ESSA?
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the main education law for public schools in the United States. The law holds schools accountable for how students learn and achieve. ESSA aims to provide an equal opportunity for disadvantaged students, including those who get special education.Who enforces ESSA?
But in some ways, the federal government's work on ESSA is just beginning. The federal K-12 law's hallmark may be state and local control, yet the Education Department still has the responsibility to oversee the more than $21 billion in federal funding pumped out to states and districts under ESSA.Is ESSA federally funded?
ESSA AND TITLE I: WHAT IT MEANS FOR CHILDREN ANDLocal education agencies (LEAs) receive this federal funding based on the number of low-income students that attend the schools in the district.
What federal law did ESSA replace?
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is the main federal law for K–12 general education. It covers all students in public schools. When it was passed in 2015, ESSA replaced the controversial No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The two laws are different, but they have some things in common.ESSA Explained: Inside the New Federal K-12 Law
How did the Every Student Succeeds Act change the federal government's approach?
OVERVIEW OF NEW FEDERAL APPROACHThe new law bans the federal government from mandating academic standards, assessment, and curricula, specifically including the Common Core State Standards, as a condition for receiving federal grants or waivers.