Required Actions for Identified Schools and Districts
The information below is an overview. The DPI provides detailed requirements and deadlines–as well as annual Progress-to-Exit Reports where applicable–to districts that have been identified or have identified schools.
Notes on LEA Responsibilities to Support Schools Identified Under ESSA:
- Since the reports with identification data do not go directly to the schools, it is important for LEAs to share relevant identifications and data with schools.
- LEAs are responsible for reviewing improvement plans and monitoring implementation for schools identified for TSI and ATSI.
- In 2018-19, each LEA submitted its plan for implementing ESSA. LEAs with ESSA-identified schools must respond to additional ESSA LEA Plan Questions within WISEgrants to describe how the LEA will support identified schools and ensure ESSA requirements are met. The questions, as well as a rubric for responses, are found in the LEA Plan Roadmap.
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Engaging in Continuous Improvement–Required for All Identified Schools & Districts
Though the specific requirements differ, essentially, schools and districts are asked to engage in a robust continuous improvement process to understand and address the issues that resulted in the identification. This may support and build on existing improvement efforts and does not have to involve creating an entirely new plan or process, depending on the unique situation.
Wisconsin’s continuous improvement framework conceptualizes improvement as a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle, with an ongoing assessment of Readiness to ensure a foundation of systems and practices to support sustainability. Best practices for continuous improvement (many of which align with federal requirements) include the following:
- Assessment and shoring up of systems, such as data systems, necessary for supporting continuous improvement
- A deepening commitment to align activities and practices with values and beliefs around equity
- Authentic engagement and relationship building with families and communities
- Formation of a diverse, representative team of stakeholders to lead improvement efforts
- Collaboration with stakeholders to conduct a needs assessment and root cause analysis that
- focuses on the effects of adult practices on student outcomes and
- prioritizes the needs of students not benefiting from current practices
- includes an examination of resource allocation (financial, human, and other) to make sure resources are aligned with equity goals
- Collaboration with stakeholders to develop an improvement plan, including
- selection of an evidence-based improvement strategy (program, practice, or strategy) that targets the greatest needs and
- creation of an action plan to implement it, usually on a limited scale at first
- Collaborative implementation of the plan, including
- training and supports for all those involved and
- regular monitoring and adjustment to ensure faithful implementation
- In collaboration with stakeholders, reflection on data (student outcome, adult practice) in larger ways to assess progress and determine the best direction for the next cycle, which may include scaling up successful practices
The Resources and Supports for Continuous Improvement page offers more tools and resources to help leverage identification data and federal requirements for continuous improvement.
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Schools Identified for TSI (ESSA)
Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) Required Activities (summary)
- Stakeholder Involvement: ESSA requires stakeholder involvement in planning. Information about representative improvement teams and ESSA stakeholder requirements are outlined in DPI’s Continuous Improvement Process Criteria and Rubric and elsewhere on this page.
- Improvement Planning: Each identified school must submit a school improvement plan that meets requirements to the LEA. Schools are required to develop a school-level targeted support and improvement plan for each student subgroup whose data triggered a TSI identification. The plan may include modification in practices, policies and/or professional development focused on improving student learning. It may include a school-level needs assessment, but this is not required. At minimum, the plan must:
- Identify an evidence-based strategy (defined as a practice, program, or strategy)
- Implementation: Each identified school must submit materials as requested to the LEA for monitoring purposes.
- Exit Criteria: A school automatically exits the category when it no longer meets the criteria for identification.
- Monitoring: Improvement planning and implementation for TSI schools is monitored by the LEA, and materials are submitted to the LEA. Evidence demonstrating completion of required actions is monitored by DPI through ESEA consolidated monitoring.
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Schools Identified for ATSI (ESSA)
Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) Required Activities (summary)
- Stakeholder Involvement: ESSA requires stakeholder involvement in planning. Information about representative improvement teams and ESSA stakeholder requirements are outlined in DPI’s Continuous Improvement Process Criteria and Rubric and elsewhere on this page.
- Improvement Planning: Each identified school must submit a school improvement plan that meets requirements to the LEA. Schools are required to develop a targeted support and improvement plan for each student subgroup whose data triggered an ATSI identification. The plan may include modification in practices, policies and/or professional development focused on improving student learning. It may include a school-level needs assessment, but this is not required. At minimum, the plan must:
- Identify an evidence-based improvement strategy (defined as a practice, program, or strategy) and
- Include identification of resource inequities (which may include a review of LEA-level and school-level budgeting) to be addressed through implementation of the improvement plan.
- Implementation: Each identified school must submit materials as requested to the LEA for monitoring purposes.
- Exit Criteria: Schools may exit the category after two years if they meet all criteria. Schools that do not exit after six years become identified for CSI. The following criteria must be met to exit:
- The school no longer meets the criteria for identification (for the identification year and the current year).
- The school demonstrates sustained progress toward its long-term improvement goals, with the two most recent intervals (for which enough data is available) either both showing improvement or both exceeding the rates when the school was identified. The rates used are average points-based proficiency rates, graduation rates, and rate of English Learners on track to proficiency (as available).
- The school demonstrates evidence of systems, structures and/or procedures that ensure sustained and sustainable high-quality improvement planning and practices, targeting the identified subgroup(s), are in place, meeting the Accomplished or Exemplary indicators for the following criteria within the Continuous Improvement Process Criteria and Rubric: R7, D2, D3, D4, S1, S2.
- Monitoring: Improvement planning and implementation for ATSI schools is monitored by the LEA, and materials are submitted to the LEA. Evidence demonstrating completion of required actions is monitored by DPI through ESEA consolidated monitoring.
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Schools Identified for CSI (ESSA)
Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) Required Activities (summary)
- Stakeholder Involvement: ESSA requires stakeholder involvement in planning. Information about representative improvement teams and ESSA stakeholder requirements are outlined in DPI’s Continuous Improvement Process Criteria and Rubric and elsewhere on this page.
- Improvement Planning: For each identified school, the LEA must ensure that a comprehensive school improvement plan that meets requirements is submitted annually to DPI through WISEgrants. LEAs may give WISEgrants access to CSI-identified schools so they can upload their own materials. There is an extended planning period before any initial plan is due. An approved plan may be resubmitted in subsequent years as appropriate, accompanied by relevant information about progress and adjustments. Schools are required to develop a comprehensive improvement plan that modifies practices, policies, and/or professional development. At minimum, the plan must:
- Include a school-level needs assessment,
- Identify an evidence-based improvement strategy (defined as a practice, program, or strategy) that meets ESSA Tiers of Evidence 1, 2, or 3, and
- Include identification of resource inequities (which may include a review of LEA-level and school-level budgeting) to be addressed through implementation of the improvement plan.
- Implementation: For each identified school, the LEA must ensure that evidence of implementation of the approved school improvement plan is submitted annually to DPI.
- Exit Criteria: Schools may exit the category after two years and must exit no more than four years after identification; more rigorous interventions apply after four years. The following criteria must be met:
- The school no longer meets the criteria for identification (for the identification year and the current year).
- The school demonstrates sustained progress toward its long-term improvement goals, with the two most recent intervals (for which enough data is available) either both showing improvement or both exceeding the rates when the school was identified. (For low-performance identifications, the rates used are average points-based proficiency rates, graduation rates, and rate of English Learners on track to proficiency, as available. For low-graduation rate identifications, the rates used are the school's four-year and seven-year graduation rates.)
- The school demonstrates evidence of systems, structures and/or procedures that ensure sustained and sustainable high-quality improvement planning and practices are in place. (This is demonstrated by meeting the Accomplished or Exemplary indicators for the following criteria within the Continuous Improvement Process Criteria and Rubric: R3, R4, R7, P4, P5, P6, D2, D3, D4, S1, S2, A1, A2.)
- Monitoring: Improvement planning and implementation for CSI schools is monitored by DPI, and materials are submitted to DPI.
Submitting Improvement Plans to DPI
Funding
To support required activities, CSI Planning Grants are available in the first year, and CSI Implementation Grants are available annually thereafter. These are formula-based grants. Implementation grant budgets must reflect implementation of the evidence-based improvement strategy from the school improvement plan. More information is available on the CSI Grant Opportunities page.
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ESSA Requirements for Stakeholder Involvement
Improvement teams that reflect the full diversity—racial, socio-economic, language, disability status, family structure, etc.—of the students served by the district or school are strong teams. Improvement teams for schools identified under ESSA must, at a minimum, include the following:
- Teachers, including those for general and special education, and English learners
- School administrators
- Other school staff
- Students (if age-appropriate)
- Families (must include representatives of specific student groups present in the school)
In addition, groups may also need to be included depending on local context. Consider the following:
- Community health organizations
- Community-based organizations, including early childhood programs and providers and libraries
- Neighborhood representatives, including neighboring and local businesses
- Local and relevant environmental organizations
- Tribal Government representatives: Tribal Chairs or Presidents (or their designees), Tribal Council representatives, Tribal Education Directors and staff
- Government entities, including state agencies, counties, and municipalities
- Adjunct school services such as before and after school child care providers and community recreation centers
- Relevant institutions of higher education
- Workforce investment boards and other job-related agencies
- Faith-based communities
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LEA Determinations (IDEA)
- LEAs that “need assistance” or "need intervention" may not reduce their maintenance of effort obligations, unless the reduction is by less than half of the increased amount (the “50% Adjustment” rule).
- LEAs that “need assistance” for two or more years are asked to engage in continuous improvement that includes a goal related to the data in the determination.
- LEAs that "need intervention" are supported through continuous improvement per the direction of DPI.
Required Activities for LEAs with Determinations of Needs Assistance (two or more years), Needs Intervention, Needs Substantial Intervention (summary)
- Improvement Planning: The LEA must engage in improvement planning that meets requirements. The Data Inquiry Journal, a planning template, is available in WISEdash for districts. Other free and/or low-cost improvement planning options are available to districts.
- Minimum Requirements:
- Identify areas in which the LEA needs assistance.
- Identify and implement professional development, instructional strategies, and methods of instruction that are based on scientifically sound research.
- Review and select, as appropriate, sources of technical assistance that address the areas in which the LEA needs assistance.
- Plan for addressing the area for concern within a specified period of time.
- Comply with special conditions on grant under IDEA Part B.
- Exit Criteria: No longer meeting criteria for identification
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Disproportionality (IDEA)
Required Activities for LEAs with Significant Disproportionality (summary)
- Improvement Planning: The LEA must submit an improvement plan that meets requirements to DPI annually. The Data Inquiry Journal, a planning template, is available in WISEdash for districts. Other templates are also acceptable, as long as they meet minimum requirements. Submit materials through WISEgrants.
- Minimum Requirements:
- Identify factors contributing to the significant disproportionality.
- Review and, if appropriate, revise policies, practices, and procedures used in identification or placement in particular education settings, including disciplinary removals, to ensure that the policies, practices, and procedures comply with the requirements of IDEA, Part B.
- Implement comprehensive coordinated early intervening services (CCEIS) and carry out activities that include professional development and educational and behavioral evaluations, services, and supports.
- Districts identified with significant disproportionality are required to budget and spend 15% of their IDEA funds on comprehensive coordinated early intervening services (CCEIS) 34 CFR § 300.646 (b)(2) and § 300.226. (Note: this is different from the ordinary CEIS set-aside, which is optional.)
- CCEIS budgets must address root cause factors identified through continuous improvement planning.
- Districts must flag students in district-level student information system as part of the CCEIS requirement.
- CCEIS WISEgrants Guidance
- Address the factors contributing to the significant disproportionality. Address any policy, practice, or procedure identified as contributing to the significant disproportionality, including a policy, practice or procedure that results in inappropriate identification of a racial or ethnic group.
- Exit Criteria: No longer meeting criteria for identification
