In April and September, states will file comprehensive plans for how they will spend federal funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Although state education agencies (SEAs) have the primary responsibility for developing and filing the state plan, many state boards of education have statutory authority for carrying out elements of the plan, and most will take a formal vote on their plans before they are sent to the U.S. Department of Education. This NASBE Policy Update lays out seven big questions board members should have answered before they vote.