Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was first enacted in 1965 and has been reauthorized every 5–10 years since then. The latest iteration of ESEA is the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which was signed into law in January 2002. The latest scheduled reauthorization of ESEA was in 2007. The House Education and Labor Committee created a draft for reauthorization, but it never moved through committee. Reauthorization is still pending.

ESEA authorizes all of the major K-12 education programs that support low-income schools and fund out-of-school time, and the framework for accountability that seeks to drive continuous improvement of all schools. Included are programs such as Title I, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), Supplemental Education Services (SES) and Safe and Drug-Free Schools.

While the program details and rules are determined through the ESEA reauthorization process, funding for any programs included in ESEA is determined each year through a separate appropriations process.

On March 15, 2010, President Obama released, “A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.” Currently, the House Education and Labor Committee, chaired by Congressman George Miller (D-CA), and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, chaired by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), are considering ESEA reauthorization.

• Read more about the Elementary and Secondary Education Act >>
• Learn more about the Blueprint for Reform >>

our role in ESEA Reauthorization

In 2007, Partnership for Children and Youth brought together a group of California colleagues to develop recommendations to improve the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program in the ESEA reauthorization.  We made substantial headway and several of our recommendations made it into the first House draft before the reauthorization process stalled.

In the fall of 2009, the Partnership organized a federal issues subcommittee of the California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance, a coalition of the state’s leading advocates and providers, to update and improve the ESEA recommendations we had developed in 2007. 

The Partnership continues in 2011 to lead a coalition of program providers and advocates across California and the nation promoting specific improvements to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the primary federal funding stream for after school, weekend and intersession programming for low-income schools.  In March 2011, the Partnership was included in a small, select group of after school and expanded learning advocates to discuss 21st CCLC policy with Senator Harkin’s Education Committee staff, and we have been invited to work closely with them on developing expanded learning policy for ESEA. The Partnership also continues to work closely with House Education Committee Ranking Member George Miller on his expanded learning policy positions in the interest of strengthening 21st CCLC and related funding streams.

ESEA Resources

21st Century Community Learning Centers | Expanding Opportunity and Improving Results to Help All Children Graduate College- and Career-Ready | Report >>
Feb. 24, 2012

ESEA Flexibility FAQ | Collaborative for Building After School Systems | Download >>
Suggested language on flexibility in the use of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program Funds. Sept. 2011.

Memo on Senate Appropriations and Policy Changes to 21st CCLC | Penn Hill Group | Download >>
June 16, 2012.