Clarification of Improvement Plan Requirements for Campuses Designated as Additional Targeted Support, Targeted Support, D in a Domain, or D Overall

On August 12, 2019, the Agency sent a TAA related to improvement plan requirements, including what must be done when schools receive D ratings in the state accountability system, and what must be done when schools are identified for Targeted or Additional Targeted Support under ESSA.  We have received numerous questions about these requirements, including concerns about overly burdensome and potentially redundant planning processes.  This correspondence is intended to provide updated guidance as to how local education agencies (LEAs) can more easily comply with those requirements.  As this is the first year campuses have been assigned D ratings, this correspondence addresses the initial implementation of TEC §39.101.  Future agency correspondence will address subsequent, potential consequences stemming from TEC §39.101.

For background, different performance results on campuses trigger different interventions under state and federal law.  The chart on the following page summarizes all the campus-based intervention requirements.  The chart is intended to answer what is required in each of the following categories:  

• DCSI – Is the LEA required to designate a District Coordinator of School Improvement who has formal authority overseeing school improvement work, or just give TEA a point of contact?
• Training – Is the LEA required to attend an ESF Overview for School Improvement training at an ESC?
• Public Meeting – Is the LEA required to hold a public meeting to solicit feedback when developing their plans?
• Self-Assessment – Is the LEA required to perform a needs assessment using the Effective Schools Framework (ESF) self-assessment tool?
• ESF Diagnostic – Is the LEA required to engage in a facilitated ESF diagnostic?
• Targeted Improvement Plan Format – Is the LEA required to use the TEA template for the TIP, or can they use any format?  
• Targeted Improvement Plan Approval – Is the LEA administration required to submit the TIP to the board for approval and conduct a public hearing before approval? If not required, it is acceptable for the Superintendent or designee to approve the plan.
• TEA Submission – Is the LEA required to submit the plan and/or any progress updates to TEA? If not required, the LEA can track plan implementation locally.
• Turnaround Plan – Is the LEA required to develop a TEA Turnaround Plan?

In the following the chart, we will attempt to provide updated guidance for what is required in these specific situations:

• Campuses with a final performance rating of D in at least one of the three domains under the state accountability system 
• Campuses with an initial overall rating of D under the state accountability system
• Campuses with a Targeted Support or Additional Targeted Support identification under ESSA 

In cases where more than one rating applies to a campus, LEAs are required to engage in the more rigorous intervention requirement. 

1. State statute requires the development of a targeted improvement plan for campuses with a rating of D in any of the three domains. No statuary requirement exists for campuses with a domain rating of F.
2. TEA will seek an amendment to the state ESSA plan to revise these as distinct intervention requirements in future years. 
3. All campuses, regardless of rating, hold a public meeting to discuss performance of the campus and campus performance objectives (TEC §11.253(g)), and the meeting to solicit input on the Targeted Improvement Plan can take place at the same time as this meeting.

Targeted and Additional Targeted Support

For campuses that have been identified for Targeted Support or Additional Target Support, LEAs are required to develop an action plan to improve those campuses.  Those action plans, however, can take any format.  Since all campuses in Texas are engaged in annual Campus Improvement Plan processes, for most LEAs it will make the most sense to update your CIP with action steps designed to remedy the cause of the performance issue rather than develop a separate Targeted Improvement Plan for the campus.  The plans can take any format desired by the LEA, so if another format is more appropriate than the CIP, LEAs have the flexibility to use that format.  These plans need only be approved by the Superintendent, don’t require any public hearing processes, and do not need to be submitted to TEA. For more information regarding specific campus data that resulted in identification, please review the Identification of Schools for Improvement campus report.  To access the report, either log into TEAL or use the public website.

D Domain

For campuses that have received a D in a Domain but have an overall rating of C or higher, TEC §39.101 requires LEAs to develop improvement plans that are approved by the board, but that aren’t submitted to TEA.  To minimize the planning burden, TEA rules allow for these plans to be developed in any format.  As a result, LEAs are free to use the ESF-aligned TIP template developed by TEA, but LEAs may also simply add improvement plan language to any pre-existing planning documents, such as the annual Campus Improvement Plans.

TEC §39.101 only applies to campuses with D in a domain.  No similar statutory requirement exists for campuses with F in a Domain, and as a result, TEA has not issued any rules requiring improvement planning processes for campuses that have an overall rating of C or higher that have an F in a domain. 

D Overall

For campuses that have received an overall D rating, campuses are required to develop a targeted improvement plan using the ESF-aligned TIP template developed by TEA.  These plans must be approved by the LEA board, but do not need to be submitted to TEA.  

Questions

We encourage you to work closely with your regional ESC for technical assistance, resources, guidance, and training. Additional information regarding accountability, intervention requirements, and resources are found on the Division of School Improvement webpage.

For further questions related to this school improvement communication, please contact the Division of School Improvement at SIDivision@tea.texas.gov or 512-463-5226.