Integrating school improvement efforts with existing district strategies and identifying high-leverage interventions can help ensure the students in these schools reach their full potential and disrupt cycles of academic failure.

With ESSA’s increased financial reporting requirements, district leaders can help to shed light on inequitable and inadequate funding for education and close resource gaps.

District leaders can target ESSA’s programs and funds to help increase the share of effective teachers and leaders and ensure they teach in schools that need their talent the most.

As the share of English Learners (ELs) in American public schools increases nationwide, district leaders can take advantage of provisions in ESSA to ensure ELs receive a high-quality education.

District leaders can use ESSA to expand access to advanced coursework and increase students’ achievement in these courses.

District leaders have an important role to play in balancing the safety of students and educators while providing alternatives to disciplinary practices that perpetuate the school-to-prison pipeline.

Schools and classrooms need an integrated approach to social, emotional, and academic development (SEAD), and district leaders can leverage ESSA to improve learning environments and build students’ social and emotional competencies.

District leaders can support the use of engaging, high-quality instructional materials in classrooms and ensure they are connected to job-embedded professional development through ESSA.