The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into federal law in 2015. Maryland’s accountability system was approved by the United States Department of Education (USDE) in January of 2018.

ESSA is an accountability system helps ensure that all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, home language, disability status, or where they live, get the education they need and deserve. It is also designed to ensure that all schools, regardless of where they are located and the students they serve, provide that education. And finally, the goal is to identify schools that need support, and prompt action to improve them in a way that is understandable, transparent, and uniform. Accountability systems measure a variety of aspects of school performance – the same aspects at every school, for all students – and report the results to the public.*

* from MSDE's Report Card User Guide