This hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines how three states--Nebraska, South Carolina, and Delaware--are taking advantage of the opportunities within the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Under ESSA, in order to receive over $18 billion in annual Federal funding, states have the opportunity to design their own state plan that includes setting academic goals for students, measuring schools' performance, and deciding how to fix failing schools. The following opening statements by the Honorable Lamar Alexander (Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) and Honorable Patty Murray (Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions), a U.S. Senator from the State of Washington. The following prepared witness statements are offered by: (1) Matthew L. Blomstedt, Commissioner, Nebraska Department of Education, Lincoln, Nebraska; (2) Susan Bunting, Secretary, Delaware Department of Education, Dover, Delaware; (3) Shavar Jeffries, President, Democrats for Education Reform, Newark, New Jersey; and (4) Molly Spearman, Superintendent, South Carolina Department of Education, Columbia, South Carolina. The following additional material of statements, articles, publications, letters, etc. were presented: (1) Matthew Bloomstedt: Supporting documentation from the Nebraska Department of Education; and (2) Susan Bunting: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; and One Percent Waiver Request, Delaware Department of Education. The following questions and answers were presented: (1) Response by Matthew Bloomstedt to questions of: Senator Todd Young, Senator Patty Murray, Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Maggie Hassan, and Senator Doug Jones; (2) Response by Molly Spearman to questions of: Senator Patty Murray, Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Maggie Hassan, and Senator Doug Jones; (3) Response by Shavar Jeffries to questions of: Senator Patty Murray, Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Tim Kaine, and Senator Doug Jones; and (4) Response by Susan Bunting to questions of: Senator Patty Murray, Senator Bernard Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Maggie Hassan, and Senator Doug Jones.