Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, states and districts are responsible for improving the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders in increasing student academic achievement. ESSA eliminates the highly qualified teacher (HQT) provision that existed under the No Child Left Behind Act requiring that students from low-income families and students of color not be taught by ineffective, inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers at higher rates than their peers. The bill does not set a minimum bar of entry into the teaching profession.
