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School Improvement

The NESC supports the Department of Public Instruction by helping schools to develop, implement, monitor, and measure their school improvement goals.

 

RATIONALE: A school that fails to make adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years must be identified as “needing improvement.” Schools identified must develop or revise an improvement plan, which must be approved by the State, and devote to professional development an amount equivalent to 10 percent of its annual Title I funds (ND DPI).

 

HISTORY: If a school fails to meet AYP for two consecutive years, the school is deemed in need of improvement — Year 1 and must offer public school choice. If a school fails to meet AYP for three consecutive years, the school is labeled in need of improvement — Year 2 and must offer public school choice and supplemental services, including tutoring. If a school fails to meet AYP for four consecutive years, the school is labeled in need of improvement — Year 3 and must take corrective action. If a school fails to meet AYP for five consecutive years, the school is labeled in need of improvement — Year 4 and must plan its restructuring. If a school fails to meet AYP for six consecutive years, the school is labeled in need of improvement — Year 5 and must implement a restructuring plan. A school exits Program Improvement when it meets AYP for two out of three years.

 

VISION: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires States and districts to intervene in schools that persistently do not meet annual and long-term academic performance targets. Interventions are known as “school improvement,” “corrective action,” and “restructuring.” Interventions enable schools to access supports and assistance in identifying and addressing instructional issues that prevent students from meeting academic benchmarks in language arts literacy and mathematics. Best practices in the 21st Century include strong components of LEADERSHIP, CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, and ASSESSMENT that will lead schools towards a culture of organized effective improvement strategies. The goals will specifically define the targeted improvement through defining what needs to be accomplished in terms of student outcomes, by what timeline, and how the progress will be monitored.

LEADERSHIP: the catalyst and sustaining element in schools
CURRICULUM: what teachers teach
INSTRUCTION: how teachers teach
ASSESSMENT: measures of student learning