ESSA Improvement Planning Requirements

The following table outlines the required components for improved plans from schools identified under ESSA for support and improvement.

 

 

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.   Driven by growing K-12 research and requirements in federal education law, specifically the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), use of evidence-based practices among teachers, school leaders, and district personnel has become more common over recent decades. 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.  Refer to the Evidence-Based Interventions page for detailed information.  

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.

 

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%. 

Schools that are identified for Targeted Support and Improvement (TS) and Additional Targeted Support (ATS) under ESSA are required to develop and implement an improvement plan.  LEAs may use this ESSA Support and Improvement Plan Rubric which describes specific improvement plan requirements.  ATS plans must address resource inequities within the plan. In addition to the Rubric, refer to the Resource Inequities information for additional guidance.

 

Targeted and Additional Targeted Support and Improvement

December 2022

Recording | PowerPoint

Comprehensive Support (CS) Plan Submission and Approval Process and Monitoring:

• 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 ESSA Support and Improvement Plan 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.