Targeted Support and Improvement

Medium

ESSA requires each state educational agency receiving federal funds to use the meaningful differentiation of schools in partnership with stakeholders, to develop and implement a school-level targeted support and improvement plan to improve student outcomes based on the indicators in the statewide accountability system. 

North Dakota selects schools for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) from a pool of consistently underperforming schools. The state ESSA plan defines "consistently underperforming schools" based on all indicators within the state’s accountability system performing in the bottom 10% for three consecutive years.

Identified schools also may have a high proportion of struggling student groups and/or significant performance gaps between student groups.

Method and Timeline

The selection of schools for TSI occurs on an annual basis. The method for selecting TSI schools reflects schools that are consistently under-performing and/or low performing in any of the following subgroups: 

  • Economically disadvantaged students
  • Children with disabilities
  • English learners
  • White
  • American Indian or Alaska Native
  • African American
  • Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
  • Hispanic or Latino

Identification Criteria

Schools are identified from a pool of consistently underperforming schools or that have one or more subgroups with achievement levels below the highest performing comprehensive school based on all accountability factors within the state’s accountability system. The following schools are currently identified as TSI schools:

TSI Schools Based on 2021-2022 Accountability Data

School District Grade Span Grant Allocation Improvement Strategies Enrollment
Turtle Mountain Community Elementary School Belcourt 7 0K-05 $0.00 MTSS, PBIS, REA liaison, and consultant 659
Wachter Middle School Bismarck 1 06-08 $75,000 Teacher stipends after school work, instructional aide, books, family night and parent events for family engagement 1000
Will-Moore Elementary School Bismarck 1 0K-05 $60,000 After-school tutoring teacher stipend, Instructional aide, PD, Sound to spelling curriculum 207
Eight Mile High School Eight Mile 6 09-12 $60,000 MTSS, stipends, curriculum, interventions WERC consultant 93
Ben Franklin Middle School Fargo 1 06-08 $75,000 PLC math and literacy coaches, substitutes for PLC time (GenEd and SPED), MAP Accelerator, Innovative School Summit 883
Carl Ben Eielson Middle School Fargo 1 06-08 $67,500 Writing and Vocabulary Curriculum, Math Lab, Critical Thinking, PBIS, Core Knowledge Curriculum 6 & 7, Morpheme Magic 615
Grafton Junior High School Grafton 18 07-08 $60,000 Cognia, Xtramath intervention 125
South Middle School Grand Forks 1 06-08 $67,500 Littera High Dosage Tutoring contract 549
Hebron High School Hebron 13 07-12 $60,000 Solution Tree, MTSS, RTI and PLC PD, technology 73
Mandan High School Mandan 1 09-12 $75,000 Innovation academy, mathematics at work, choice ready preparedness activities 1138
Minnewaukan High School Minnewaukan 5 09-12 $60,000   78
Sunnyside Elementary School Minot 1 0K-05 $60,000 Social worker salary, NEXUS/PATH for the targeted case manager 282
Minto Elementary School Minto 20 PK-08 $60,000 Heggery Phonics, math manipulatives, tier 2 interventions, Chromebooks, Ipads 223
Nedrose Elementary School 4-8 Nedrose 4 04-08 $60,000 Para, NWEA and other progress monitoring tools, PD 158
New Town Middle School New Town 1 07-08 $60,000 After school programming, PD  153
Sargent Central High School Sargent Central 6 07-12 $60,000 STEM lab 71
Solen High School Solen 3 07-12 $60,000 Leadership stipend, Lanes Consulting, supplies, and manipulatives 82
Liberty Middle School West Fargo 6 06-08 $75,000 SEL, personalized learning 1102
White Shield Elementary School White Shield 85 0K-08 $60,000 Teacher stipends and PD 137
McVay Elementary School Williston Basin 7 0K-04 $67,500 PD for Math, ELA, ELL, STEM and EL 423
Missouri Ridge Middle School Williston Basin 7 08 $67,500 STEM materials, books, math 180 PBL materials 381
Williston Middle School Williston Basin 7 07-08 $67,500 Classroom management, Math 180, differentiated Instruction, math PD, stem supplies 485
Wing Elementary School Wing 28 PK-08 $60,000 Sub pay during pieces of training, PD, materials and supplies, technology, registrations 52

Supports and Interventions

Schools selected are awarded school improvement grants to support and sustain improvement efforts by targeting interventions for root causes or performance gaps in student subgroups.

TSI Grant Cycle and Allocation:

School Improvement Grant Cycle and Allocations

TSI Grant Funding Period: September 1, 2022 - December 30, 2023 (15 months)

Additionally, the NDDPI will provide support and interventions for schools selected using a multifaceted approach:

  • All schools will be provided guidance and support including training on requirements and opportunities, and a NDDPI liaison to provide technical assistance
  • NDDPI has partnered with the North Dakota Regional Education Associations (NDREAs) to support NDDPI’s implementation of comprehensive support. This partnership provides an opportunity for identified schools to receive assistance with federal requirements, which includes coaching, professional development, evidence-based instructional strategies, data-based decision making, and ongoing support to meet improvement goals using the School Renewal Process
  • Customized training to understand the STARS Data Reporting Platform and how it can be utilized for school improvement and resource allocation
  • Priority points for NDDPI-sponsored opportunities, such as the Be Legendary School Board Institute, Family Engagement training, and Cognia’s Diagnostic Review process

Exit Criteria

A school may exit TSI status upon achieving one of the following:

  1. No longer consistently underperforming based on the state's accountability system
  2. Success in meeting its established interim goals in the identified subgroup for two consecutive years and is making progress on its own

Schools identified as TSI that do not meet the exit criteria after being identified for three consecutive years will be selected for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) beginning in the subsequent school year. These schools will then need to meet the established criteria for CSI schools.

Additional Information

New educators or leaders in schools identified as Targeted Support and Improvement could check out the TSI/CSI 101 recording that outlines TSI and CSI expectations through the fall of 2021.