Many have wondered how the implementation of the new education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act, would pan out; recent accusations from Senate Education Committee Chairman and one of the law's main architects Sen. Lamar Alexander indicate that it might not go so smoothly after all.

Alexander recently accused the Department of Education of ignoring "a key section of the law that relates to funding for low-income schools,” said USA Today.

According to Alexander, the Department of Education is ignoring funding provisions under ESSA that require comparable funding between Title I (schools with large numbers of low-income students) versus not Title I schools. The provision is intended to level the playing field for schools in low-income areas for the benefit of disadvantaged children.

Alexander has accused the Department of requiring equal, not comparable funding, which he says is in direct violation of what the law requires.

Additionally, “[h]e...accused the department of trying to dictate the methodology that local school districts must use when calculating whether funding between schools is comparable — a move he said is not allowed under the law,” the article said.

Education Secretary John B. King denied the accusations, arguing that the department "is simply trying to give schools the flexibility to measure the goal of comparable funding.”

Displeased with this answer, Alexander charged that he would use “every power of Congress” to ensure proper implementation of ESSA- indicating a long battle might be ahead of the recently enacted legislation.

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Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

4/13/2016