Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) for Gifted Education

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Definition

Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA) defines the UIP as the "Annual Plan"

12.02(1) Administrative units shall submit to the Department an annual plan that is a gifted education UIP addendum. In multi-district AUs or BOCES, member districts submit the UIP addendum. Multidistrict AUs and BOCES submit a summary for improving gifted student performance that includes annual assurances and a proposed budget for the forthcoming fiscal year. The annual plan shall be integrated with a district's accountability UIP timelines, or no later than April15. The UIP gifted education addendum, as the annual plan, shall include an action plan to meet designated targets. An AU shall submit an annual plan before receiving AU gifted education funds. Exception to this annual plan is for small rural districts that function on a bi-annual unified improvement plan submission. (C.R.S.22-11-303(4)(b))

Note: ECEA Rules were last authorized in 2014. Since that time, CDE implemented a biennial UIP submission for most districts. The ECEA term for "Annual Plan" coincides with a district's UIP submission.

Description

The purpose of the Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) is to align efforts and targets to improve gifted student achievement and growth. It fulfills the obligations for accountability as defined within the Exceptional Children Education Act (ECEA) for the Gifted Education Annual Plan.

To fulfill gifted education accountability requirements, a district addresses gifted student in four (4) areas of the UIP:

Record reflections on progress toward previous year's targets.
Include a data narrative to reveal strengths and/or gaps in achievement and or growth on state and/or district assessments to determine the priority challenge. Note: This is where the district will make evident if the performance data for gifted students is convergent or divergent.
Identify how the district will support gifted students at either the Major Improvement Strategy level or through identified Action Steps that explicitly support gifted students.
Establish a target for the appropriate group of students, including the metric, content, and level as appropriate. Define the measures that will be used to check on progress over the course of the year.

Gifted Education Regional Consultants (GERCs) are available to provide AUs with on-site technical assistance for UIP completion.

UIP for Gifted Education Guidance Document

Options

Single-district AUs

The gifted education accountability requirements shall be included within the district's UIP.

1. Option One: Analysis of data indicate an improvement area for gifted students is convergent (same) as the needs of the district. In this case, the district includes gifted students in the applicable performance challenge and target, specifically naming "gifted students" in the statement. Explicit improvement strategies aligned to gifted students are included at either the Major Improvement Strategy level or within the district's Action Steps. Gifted Students are embedded within the District UIP or complete the UIP GT Addendum pertaining to gifted students.

2, Option Two: Analysis of data indicate an improvement area for gifted student is divergent (different) from the needs of the district. In this case, the district will be directed to complete each of the four required sections specifically addressing gifted students. Gifted Students are embedded within the District UIP or complete the UIP GT Addendum pertaining to gifted students.

Small "N", or Multiple-district AUs, or BOCES

3. Option Three: If the district’s UIP provides a data analysis that references data for a small number of students, it may be possible to identify individual students. To avoid Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) concerns, CDE uses the following guidelines for public reporting of student data: achievement data may be shared when n-size is 16 students or more for achievement results and when n-size is 20 students or more for growth results. Districts with a small number of gifted students (fewer than 16), may use the student's Advanced Learning Plan to meet the gifted requirements for UIP.

4. Option Four: In multiple-district AUs or in BOCES, member districts submit the UIP. AU Gifted Coordinators/Directors do not submit the UIP but may collaborate with districts to develop a common plan that includes a performance challenge, target, action plan, and process to monitor progress. This plan is shared with member districts who then upload the plan within their UIP submission.