The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is submitting redline updates to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plan for review and approval. These revisions reflect technical and procedural updates necessary to maintain alignment between the plan’s language and the State Board of Education (SBE)–approved policies and practices.
Purpose of Updates:
The redline revisions are not substantive changes to the overall ESSA framework but rather refinements to clarify, modernize, and align plan language with current implementation and accountability processes. The updates ensure that federal descriptions accurately reflect approved procedures currently in practice across the state.
Key Revisions – Title III, English Language Acquisition:
The primary updates appear under Title III, Part A, Subpart 1 – English Language Acquisition and Language Enhancement, specifically in the Entrance and Exit Procedures section. Updates include:
- Clarification of standardized statewide entrance procedures, requiring all Public School Units (PSUs) to submit annual assurances that all students who may be English Learners (ELs) are assessed for such status within 30 days of enrollment.
- Revised language to align with the statewide Home Language Survey (HLS) process and approved English language proficiency screeners.
Updated exit criteria reflecting the state’s Comprehensive Objective Composite (COC), establishing a clear proficiency threshold for reclassification. - Addition of the Multiple Measure Tool (MMT) as an approved supplemental pathway for students scoring between 4.2 and 4.4 on the WIDA ACCESS assessment. This tool provides a research-based, equitable, and consistent option for demonstrating readiness for exit while maintaining federal compliance with ESSA §1111(b)(2)(G).
- Expanded description of stakeholder communication and transparency mechanisms, including the NCDPI ML/Title III Virtual Repository, which provides accessible guidance and resources for LEAs and PSUs.
School accountability changes:
Changes to the accountability system’s Progress in Achieving English Language Proficiency indicator found in Title I, Part A include:
- Additional exit criteria applied:
- Scoring between a 4.2 and 4.4 on the WIDA ACCESS assessment and then meeting proficiency on the Multiple Measure Tool.
- Scoring a 2.0 composite score on the WIDA Alternate ACCESS assessment.
- Formula for calculating progress on the WIDA Alternate ACCESS assessment added
No other changes are being considered to the ESSA State plan at this time.
ESSA State plan with Proposed 2025-26 Amendments
Interested persons may submit written comments by February 12, 2026, at 5:00 PM, using the link below:
Public Comment on Proposed 2025–26 Amendment