ESSA Ties to WIOA 2014 and New Citizens

Anti CCSS Warriors, you know you have heard me on the air and read my blog where I have stated several times that the WIOA of 2014 (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014) has embedded in it 21 different times the phrase ‘Career Pathways’. More recently you have heard me state, as well as read the research, how the ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) has the WIOA tied to it AND the “Career Pathways”. For the published articles, see
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/12/05/weekend-news-essas-untold-ties-to-hea/
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/12/03/the-morning-after-ccss-lives-on/
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/12/13/weekend-news-for-the-anti-ccss-warriors/

So, have there been any NEW revelations which we can use to continue to trace the continued overreach of egregious standards in American education? I do believe there are!

Enter, the National Skills Coalition(NSC):

Now, if you have followed my blog long you know I exposed the NSC’s ties to all things Common Core months ago. But, if you missed it:
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/06/07/rmt-halting-a-ccsscte-aligned-workforce/

So what was the NSC’s reaction to the WIOA?
I was able to find this document, where the Coalition was more than thrilled over the passage of this 2014 law. But why am I bringing it up now?
Patience, Warriors, you know how the CCSS Machine loves to lead us places which they think we won’t connect.

In a June 2015 document titled “Comments on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs)”
It is important to point out that the focused group of this document are those new to American and have very limited skills as a result.
These new Americans are going to be facing the same educational alignment that our natural born citizens face. Remember, CCSS (Common Core State Standards), and its counter-parts of Career Pathways, College and Career Readiness (and so on) respect NO ONE!

Here is an excerpt from the 2015 report:
“Results from the international Survey of Adult Skills indicate that there are approximately 12 million working-age immigrants in the US who have limited English language, literacy, or math skills. Many of these individuals are already working, but need greater skills in order to advance in the workforce.”

Did you catch the CCSS ties, Warriors? What 2 subjects have we been repeatedly told CCSS is located? (which we know is as false as the screen door on a submarine) Math and ELA (English Langauge Arts)!!

But wait, there is more from this report you need to read, “The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), passed in 2014, includes a number of important changes that have the potential to help states and localities aid eligible immigrants in improving their skills, pursuing education and training opportunities, and strengthening their ability to find family-sustaining employment. These activities are critical in fostering the three pillars (linguistic, civic, and economic) of immigrant integration articulated by the Department of Education’s Networks for Integrating New Americans initiative, and reaffirmed in the recent White House Task Force on New Americans plan.”

The report goes on from here in detail about the proposed rules that need to be made so the federal government could guide state governments in all the areas the implementation of a workforce based education should go! Why is this important NOW? State funding formulas will be re-configured thanks to the ESSA, as well as the WIOA! The WIOA state funding has had a bit of a lead in each of our states, the ESSA’s funding jumble will be coming soon. You will also see in this report that for the first time states are to report to the federal level, any state plans which involve WIOA in 4 key areas. Those areas include accountability, job centers, and more.

Have you noticed that the language of the ESSA will have the states submitting education plans to the U.S. Secretary of Education for approval? Are you seeing the pattern, Warriors? I must share that the WIOA is to impact every citizen seeking a job in America, not just the newest residents! So, combine your state’s job seekers, the state funding, add in CCSS via its Career Pathways, etc. and you can tell where this is headed, right? Would you believe there is more?! To read the NSC Report: 2015-06-WIOA-draft-regulations-immigration-comments

To see what more that we can find out, read on!
ESSA and the New Citizens: 

The ESSA has the following phrases in reference to the newest Americans (ie: immigrants). {Note: I am not sharing the Career Pathways or WIOA references, as they are already supplied in my previously published articles above.}

Page 2 reveals Sections 3001-3004 (these sections begin on page 408 and follow from there) will break down what alignments, accountability, etc. will be taking place in education and services related. I found on page 409, under the Section 3001 and “Appropriations”, the following figures of the tax dollars up for grabs by the states and awarded by the federal government for this express purpose, “(1) $756,332,450 for fiscal year 2017;  (2) $769,568,267 for fiscal year 2018;(3) $784,959,633 for fiscal year 2019; and (4) $884,959,633 for fiscal year 2020.” Page 410 will show you how the ELLs (English Language Learners) will have to meet those ‘challenging state academic standards’, too.’

Skip down to section 3115 (page 421) , however and you will find that all schools will have to jump through a hoop or two to reform education so that no child will be excluded. How? Through ‘sub grants’ to eligible entities as long as they are educating students in ELA to the tune of ‘challenging state academic standards’!

To achieve this, there are 4 purposes which must be met: a) “Developing and implementing new language instruction educational programs and academic content instructional programs for English learners and immigrant children and youth, including early childhood education programs, elementary school programs, and secondary school programs.” b) Carrying out highly focused, innovative, locally designed activities to expand or enhance existing language instruction educational programs and academic content instructional programs for English learners and immigrant children and youth.“ c) “Implementing, within an individual school,  schoolwide programs for restructuring, reforming, and upgrading all relevant programs, activities, and operations relating to language instruction educational programs and academic content instruction for English learners and immigrant children and youth.” d)  “Implementing, within the entire jurisdiction of a local educational agency, agencywide programs for restructuring, reforming, and upgrading  all relevant programs, activities, and operations relating to language instruction educational programs  and academic content instruction for English learners and immigrant children and youth.” Skip down to page 426 and you can see how the entire family is to involved in ‘effective education’.

Above only shows the ELA portion of what the ESSA has in store for us. The math is there, as well, it has to be, right?

 

Closing:

We have had quite the connect-the-dots article here! As I have shared, I will keep digging through this new law and continue to share what I can find which is set to transform our nation.
If you would like more information about the U.S. Dept. of Education’s New American program, see:
 http://worlded.org/WEIInternet/us/project/display.cfm?ctid=na&cid=na&tid=40&id=13981 
If you are not familiar with the White House’s Task Force for New Americans, see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/immigration/new-americans
If you wish to learn more about the International Survey on Adult Skills, see:
http://www.oecd.org/site/piaac/surveyofadultskills.htm

I will not be publishing a Wednesday article, as I am resuming my Media Wednesday appearances. Follow me on Twitter (@commoncorediva) for all the latest updates on where I will be appearing.