Sample Request for Meeting to Discuss ESSA Implementation
Date
Name of education chief
Title
Address
Dear [Title and name of state education chief],
On behalf of the undersigned, we write to express our interest in the implementation of the recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA) and to request a meeting with you to share our priorities for ensuring educational equity for students of color, low-income
students, students with disabilities, and English learners as our state transitions to the new law. With the recent enactment of ESSA,
states and school districts have more flexibility to make decisions about state accountability systems, which makes the leadership of the
department of education even more essential to ensuring a quality education for all students in our state.
As advocates, we have seen firsthand the impact that ineffective and exclusive implementation of education policy can hav e on
our communities. We look forward to partnering with you to ensure this law is implemented effectively and inclusively and ful fills
its purpose as a driver of educational equity. Our priorities include:
Robust parent, family, and community engagement and consultation
Accountability for the achievement of all students
Easily accessible and user-friendly data
Equitable access to critical educational resources
Given both the value of and statutory requirements for stakeholder engagement and consultation at every stage of the state ESSA
plans, we would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss our interests and priorities in person. Effective and inclusive
implementation of ESSA is impossible without creating a dialogue between the department and community stakeholders, and we
hope this can serve as an initial step toward meaningful collaboration. At your earliest convenience, please respond to [ADD
CONTACT PERSON AND PHONE/EMAIL] with suggested meeting times.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue and we look forward to meeting with you to further discuss how we can ensure
all students are well served through ESSA implementation for the benefit of our entire state.
Sincerely,
Name
Title
Organization
Phone/Email