• Ohio's Approved State ESSA Plan (2023)
• Ohio's Previous ESSA Plan (2018)

• Middle School Students taking End-of-Course Assessments Waiver
• ESEA Addendum Flexibility for the 2020-2021 School Year [COVID19] 
• ESEA Waiver Flexibility for Federal Fiscal Year 2019 [COVID19]
• ESEA Wavier for Assessment and Accountability Provisions for the 2019-2020 School Year [COVID19]

Below, please find Ohio's amended State ESSA Plan that was approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

• Ohio's State ESSA Plan (June 13, 2023)

  • ​Appendix A: Measurements of Interim Progress for Long-Term Goals

  • Appendix C: ESSA Report Card User Guide and Technical Documentation

• Ohio's ESSA Plan Approval Letter from the U.S. Department of Education

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• Ohio's Revised State Template for the Consolidated State Plan (January 16, 2018)

  • Appendix A: Long-Term Goals

  • Appendix B: ESSA Sections A.1-A.4

  • Appendix C: ESSA Sections A.5 - I

• Ohio’s Approval Letter from the U.S. Department of Education

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The Ohio Department of Education requested a waiver extension of sections 1111(b)(1)(B) and 1111(b)(2)(B)(i) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to permit any Ohio middle school student to take a high school end-of-course assessment in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science (not just eighth grade mathematics) when the student is enrolled in the corresponding course for high school credit. This waiver allows the Department and Ohio's schools and districts to ensure that students are assessed on the curriculum that fully aligns to their instruction, while eliminating the need to double-test students.

• Waiver Approval Letter from the U.S. Department of Education (2020)

• Ohio’s Cover Letter and Revised Middle School Testing Waiver Draft (2020)

• Waiver Approval Letter from the U.S. Department of Education (2018)

• Ohio's Middle School Testing Waiver Request Letter (2017)

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The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance in October 2020 specifying how states can submit an addendum to their ESSA plans for one-year flexibilities related to states’ Every Student Succeeds Act state plans. This addendum process allows states to address specific issues arising from missing data from the 2019-2020 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ordered school building closures, and the cancellation of the spring 2020 assessments.   

The memo linked below summarizes those limited flexibilities available to Ohio through the limited one-year ESSA addendum. The intent of Ohio’s proposal is to limit the consequences of any data generated during this school year to the extent allowable and make allowable technical adjustments to relevant aspects of the report card. Please note: This addendum request was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in February 2021 and later rescinded in favor of submitting the accountability waiver opportunity that was released post-submission. 

• Ohio Department of Education Memo 

• Draft of Ohio's ESSA Addendum Request

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The recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provides the U.S. Secretary of Education with additional waiver authority of specific ESEA requirements related to federal funding for fiscal year 2019 (state fiscal year 2020). The Ohio Department of Education has applied for these waivers from the U.S. Department of Education to support Ohio’s districts and schools during this crisis. Please see the additional documents for further information on specific waiver authority being requested. 

• Ohio’s ESEA Fiscal Waiver Request

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The U.S. Department of Education has provided states the ability to seek one-year waivers from the Every Student Succeeds Act’s testing and accountability requirements.  The General Assembly subsequently passed emergency legislation canceling the spring administration of the Ohio State Tests and putting into place a ‘Safe Harbor’ on much of the accountability system and state-issued report cards. Accordingly, the Ohio Department of Education sought and received a federal waiver for the 2019-20 school year. Please see the additional documents for further information. 

• Ohio’s ESEA Waiver Request 

• Ohio’s ESEA Waiver Approval

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