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ESSA Improvement Planning Requirements
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to identify schools for Comprehensive (CS), Targeted (TS), or Additional Targeted (A-TS) Support and Improvement. Additionally, ESSA requires that identified schools develop and implement an improvement plan that addresses the reasons for the school’s identification and will result in improvement of student outcomes. Plan development, approval, and monitoring vary by identification categories. Colorado requires that schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement use their Unified Improvement Plan to address ESSA planning requirements. The LEA determines what improvement plan templates to use for schools identified for TS or ATS.
Crosswalk of ESSA School Improvement Planning Requirements within the UIP Process
The following table outlines the required components for improvement plans from schools identified under ESSA for support and improvement (CS, TS, and ATS). For the 2024-2025 school year, identified schools can meet requirements using the Streamlined UIP or the Traditional UIP. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, requirements will be met using the Streamlined UIP. For more information on this transition, please visit the Unified Improvement Planning Resources webpage.
ESSA Planning Requirements | Streamlined UIP Section | Traditional UIP Section | CS | TS | ATS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plans must be developed with stakeholders (including school leaders, teachers, and parents). |
Assurances |
Data Narrative: Brief Description |
X |
X |
X |
Stakeholders were made aware of reasons for ESSA identification to inform plan development. |
Assurances |
Data Narrative: Brief Description |
X |
X |
X |
Plan is informed by student performance against state-determined long-term goals on each accountability indicator in ESSA. |
Student Performance Priorities |
Data Narrative: Current Performance |
X |
X |
X |
Plan includes evidenced-based interventions. |
Root Causes and Strategies→ Major Improvement Strategies |
Major Improvement Strategies or Action Steps |
X |
X |
X |
Plan includes a school-level needs assessment. |
Assurances; Priorities and Targets → Student Performance Priority Evidence and Reasoning |
Data Narrative: Trend Analysis, Priority Performance Challenge, Root Cause Analysis |
X |
Recommended but not required |
Recommended but not required |
Plan identifies resource inequities. |
Root Causes and Strategies → Root Causes |
Data Narrative: Root Cause Analysis |
X |
|
X |
Plan addresses resource inequities. |
Implementation and Actions → Action Steps |
Action Steps |
X |
|
X |
Comprehensive Support (CS) Plan Submission and Approval Process and Monitoring:
- CS Plans are approved at the school, LEA and CDE level.
- CS plans should be documented within the school’s Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) and submitted to CDE through the Online UIP System.
- The timeline for CS plan submission follows the typical UIP submission process. CDE will use the ESSA CS plan requirements embedded within the Quality Criteria Rubric to approve plans.
- Once plans are approved, CDE is required to monitor implementation of and periodically review CS plans.
Targeted Support (TS) and Additional Targeted Support (ATS) Plan Approval and Monitoring:
- LEAs are responsible for approving and monitoring TS and ATS plans. LEAs have the option to create their own document, however, Colorado’s UIP provides a convenient mechanism for capturing the specific ESSA requirements as it aligns well with required plan components.
- The Quality Criteria Rubric includes the ESSA requirements if LEAs choose to document TS and ATS plans within the UIP.
- The LEA determines the number of years a school can be identified for targeted support and improvement before taking additional action. LEAs are responsible for determining what that additional action should be.
ESSA Plan Approval
|
Documentation
|
CS
|
TS
|
ATS
|
---|---|---|---|---|
School, LEA and SEA must approve the plan. |
ESSA Requirements are documented in the UIP. |
X |
|
|
Upon approval and implementation, SEA monitors and periodically reviews the plan. |
-- |
X |
|
|
The school and LEA approve the plan prior to implementation. |
LEA determines the format, which could be the UIP, to document ESSA requirements. |
|
X |
X |
Upon submission and implementation, LEA monitors the plan. |
LEA sets the timeline and process for monitoring the plan. |
|
X |
X |
SEA monitors the LEA’s review, approval, and monitoring processes. |
LEA written protocols and processes for reviewing, approving, and monitoring school’s improvement plans. |
X |
X |
X |
Comprehensive Support and Improvement Unified Improvement Planning (CS-UIP) Trainings
CDE has provided training (outlined below) on the Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CS) Plan under ESSA, which focuses on schools identified for Lowest 5%, Low Graduation Rate, and requirements specific to each CS identification. The trainings are designed to support principals or the individuals writing the school-level improvement plans, as well as the district personnel responsible for supporting the development of, review, and approval of the school plans.
Note: Trainings will be updated during the 2024-2025 school year to align with the Streamlined UIP. Please check back for updated resources.
Federal ESSA Identification CS-Y3+: Understanding Identification and Implications, AEC Presentation (NEW!)
October 30, 2024
CS Lowest 5% and Low Graduation Training (Focus: Newly Identified Schools in 2022)
October 11, 2022
CS Lowest 5% K-2 Training
September 8, 2022
CS Lowest 5% Elementary/Secondary Training
September 8, 2022
CS Low Graduation Training
September 1, 2022
CS UIP Requirements Training (High-level Overview)
August 2, 2022
Targeted (TS) and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATS) Unified Improvement Planning Trainings
Targeted Support (TS): Any schools with at least one consistently underperforming disaggregated group.
Additional Targeted Support (ATS): A subset of TS schools with at least one disaggregated group that, on its own, meets the criteria for the CS-Lowest Performing 5%.
CDE has provided training (below) on TS and ATS Plan requirements under ESSA. The trainings are designed to support principals in developing the school-level improvement plans, as well as the district personnel responsible for supporting the development of, review, and approval of the school plans.
Targeted and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement
December 2022
Evidence-Based Interventions (EBI) Planning Requirements for CS, TS, ATS
Evidence in education is continually evolving and expanding and should be a part of the planning process for CS, TS, and ATS plans. Evidence-based practices, and specifically evidence-based interventions (EBIs) as defined by ESSA, are crucial to improving student outcomes and closing gaps in student achievement. ESSA defines an evidence-based intervention as an activity, strategy, or intervention that demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes. Refer to the EBI website for detailed information.
The selection of EBIs should always begin with the school-level Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA). Evidence-based practices should have a direct alignment for the reason for the identification, including specific student groups identified for improvement.
EBI Requirements Under ESSA
- ESSA requires that at least one Level 1-3 EBI be incorporated into improvement plans where state set-aside funds for school improvement are used (e.g., funds or supports accessed via EASI application).
- ESSA also requires schools identified for Comprehensive Support, Targeted, or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement to implement at least one EBI, Levels 1-4 in their improvement plans, designed to address the reasons for identification for support and improvement under ESSA and/or meet the needs identified in the CNA.
- It is a matter of equity to seek out and leverage strategies that have been shown to reliably improve students’ outcomes-- particularly for historically underserved students – where the EBI was designed for and its impact has been studied with the student populations to be served with the EBI.
Resource Inequities Planning Requirements (CS, ATS)
As a part of the comprehensive needs assessment, systemic resource inequities must be considered and prioritized during the planning process for CS or ATS plans. Reflection and identification of resource allocation and any inequities that may have contributed to the CS or ATS identification or create challenges for meeting exit criteria (improving student performance) must be considered and addressed as a part of a CS or ATS plan. The inequities addressed within a plan must be actionable. Refer to the Resource Inequities page for additional information and guidance.
Related Resources
- ESSA Methods and Criteria for Identification of Schools for Support and Improvement
- ESSA Application for School Improvement (EASI)
- Quality Criteria Rubric (CS, TS, ATS)
- UIP Handbook 2023-2024 (Includes Federal Requirements Information)
- Resource Inequities (CS, ATS) Planning Requirement
- Evidence-Based Interventions Planning Requirement (EBI)
Contact Information
Sue Miller-Curley
ESEA Monitoring and Title II Specialist
720-990-4987
Send an email to Sue
Nazanin Mohajeri-Nelson, Ph.D.
Executive Director
720-626-3895
Send an email to Nazanin
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