School Improvement Grant (SIG) Program Under No Child Left Behind

Overview

Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, (20 U.S.C. 6303 (g)), state educational agencies (SEAs) were awarded funding to sub-grant to local educational agencies (LEAs) to assist their persistently lowest-achieving schools. 

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are public school districts with Title I schools that have been identified as Tier I or Tier II schools. DPI will contact eligible districts after results are confirmed.

Available Funds

The amount varies, but each school is eligible for up to $2 million per year in school improvement funds.

Program Elements

1. Identify and serve the lowest-achieving Title I Schools:
   • Tier I - Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring that:
     • Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring in the state, whichever number of schools is greater; or
     • Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 C.F.R. s. 200.19(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
   • Tier II - Any secondary school that is eligible for Title I funds that:
     • Is among the lowest-achieving five percent of secondary schools or the lowest achieving five secondary schools in the state are eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds, whichever number of schools is greater; or
     • Is a high school that has had a graduation rate as defined in 34 C.F.R. s. 200.10(b) that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
2. Support only the most rigorous interventions (for Tiers I & II only):
   • Turnaround Model
     • Replace principal and 50 percent of staff;
     • Adopt new governance model;
     • Implement new or revised instructional program;
     • Provide ongoing, high-quality, job-embedded professional development and implement new methods to recruit, place, and retain staff;
     • Use student data to inform and differentiate instruction;
     • Establish schedules and implement strategies that provide increased learning time; and
     • Provide socio-emotional and community-oriented services and supports.
   • Restart Model
     • Close the school and reopen under management of Charter School Operator, Charter Management Operator (CMO), or Educational Management Operator (EMO);
     • Requires a rigorous review process; and
     • Requires the restart school to enroll (within the grades it serves) any former student who wishes to attend the school.
   • School Closure Model
     • Close the school and enroll students in other higher achieving schools.
   • Transformation Model
     • Replace the principal, who then has operational flexibility;
     • Use rigorous, transparent, and equitable evaluation systems;
     • Identify and reward effective staff and remove ineffective staff;
     • Provide staff professional development and implement new methods to recruit, place, and retain staff;
     • Use student data to inform and differentiate instruction;
     • Implement an instructional program that is research-based, vertically aligned from one grade to the next, and aligned with state academic standards;
     • Establish schedules and implement strategies that provide increased learning time;
     • Provide ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement; and
     • Ensure that the school receives ongoing, intensive technical assistance and related support from the LEA, the SEA, or a designated external lead partner organization.
3. Provide sufficient resources over several years:
   • SEA must allocate sufficient funds to match the LEA's budget for implementing the chosen interventions;
   • All schools being served (Tiers I, II, and III) can receive between $50,000 and $2 million per year;
   • LEA will have the flexibility to spend more than $2 million per year in its Tier I and Tier II schools as long as all schools identified in the application are served; and
   • LEA will have the funds available for three years, as long as they demonstrate progress.
4. Measure progress in achieving results:
   • LEA must establish annual WKCE student achievement goals in reading/language arts and math, and
   • LEA will hold each Tier I and Tier II school accountable for meeting those goals for all students.

United States Department of Education Documents