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) on an annual basis. Schools are identified from a pool of consistently* underperforming schools in the bottom 10%. Additionally, these schools may have one or more subgroups (from the list below) with achievement levels below the highest-performing comprehensive school based on all accountability factors within the state’s accountability system.
- 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
*Disclaimer: Due to a USED waiver issued in March 2020 as a result of the pandemic, states were allowed to pause accountability and the use of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 data for identification purposes. Therefore, North Dakota is unable to fulfill the part of its ESSA plan that requires “three years of consecutive underperformance” when selecting schools for TSI/CSI. However, the USED required states to resume accountability in 2021-2022, and states were instructed to run accountability to ensure that schools that are underperforming compared to other schools in the state receive the support and resources needed to make improvements. The NDDPI utilized data from 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to determine identification and to rank schools based on one or two years of underperformance and/or several subgroups performing below the highest-performing CSI school. The NDDPI will be able to fully implement its ESSA plan as written in the fall of 2025.
The following schools have been selected for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) for the 2023-2024 school year (based on 2022-2023 accountability data):
| School | District | Grade Span | Allocation | Interventions to Support School Improvement Efforts | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turtle Mountain Community High School | Belcourt 7 | 9-12 | $0.00 | Coaching | 560 |
| Beulah Middle School | Beulah 27 | 5-8 | $60,000 | Professional Development, Teacher Stipends, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Supplies | 236 |
| Central Middle School | Devils Lake 1 | 5-8 | $67,500 | Professional Development | 518 |
| Eight Mile Elementary School | Eight Mile 6 | K-8 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Coaching, Professional Development, Instruction and Assessment Supplies | 232 |
| Elgin-New Leipzig Elementary School | Elgin-New Leipzig 49 | PK-6 | $60,000 | Consultant Services, Technology | 105 |
| ED Clapp Elementary School | Fargo 1 | K-5 | $67,500 | Teacher Stipends, Professional Development | 452 |
| Fargo K-8 Virtual Academy | Fargo 1 | K-8 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Consultant Services, Professional Development | 32 |
| Flasher High School | Flasher 39 | 7-12 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Professional Development, Curriculum | 120 |
| South Middle School | Grand Forks 1 | 6-8 | $67,500 | Behavior Interventionist | 549 |
| Wilder Elementary School | Grand Forks 1 | K-5 | $60,000 | Social Worker and Interventionist | 177 |
| Kidder County High School | Kidder County 1 | 7-12 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Curriculum | 152 |
| Mandan Middle School | Mandan 1 | 6-8 | $75,000 | Teacher Stipends, Professional Development | 928 |
| Watford City Middle School | McKenzie Co 1 | 6-8 | $67,500 | Professional Development | 455 |
| Minnewaukan Elementary School | Minnewaukan 5 | K-8 | $60,000 | Consultant Services | 219 |
| Washington Elementary School | Minot 1 | K-5 | $67,500 | Consultant Services | 299 |
| New Town Middle School | New Town 1 | 7-8 | $60,000 | Tutoring, Consultant Services | 158 |
| Parshall Elementary School | Parshall 3 | PK-5 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Coaching, Technology | 141 |
| Parshall High School | Parshall 3 | 6-12 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Coaching, Technology | 145 |
| Sawyer Elementary School | Sawyer 16 | PK-8 | $60,000 | Para Professional Support, Professional Development, Technology | 56 |
| Solen High School | Solen 3 | 7-12 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Professional Development, Curriculum | 82 |
| Liberty Middle School | West Fargo 6 | 6-8 | $75,000 | Teacher Stipends, Substitute Pay, Professional Development, Consultant Services | 1102 |
| Cheney Middle School | West Fargo 6 | 6-8 | $75,000 | Teacher Stipends, Substitute Pay, Professional Development, Consultant Services | 1012 |
| Heritage Middle School | West Fargo 6 | 6-8 | $67,500 | Teacher Stipends, Substitute Pay, Professional Development, Consultant Services, Math Interventionist | 665 |
| White Shield Elementary School | White Shield 85 | K-8 | $60,000 | Teacher Stipends, Curriculum | 137 |
| Williston High School | Williston Basin 7 | 9-12 | $75,000 | Para Professional Support | 1363 |
| Williston Middle School Central Campus | Williston Basin 7 | 5-8 | $75,000 | Teacher Stipends | 866 |
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:
TSI Grant Funding Period: September 1, 2023 - December 30, 2024 (15 months)
Additionally, the NDDPI will provide support and interventions for schools selected using a multifaceted approach:
- All schools are provided guidance and support including training on requirements and opportunities, and a Coaching Liaison to provide technical assistance
- NDDPI partners with the North Dakota Regional Education Associations (NDREAs) to support schools
- 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 Guide
- Watch this three-minute video for an overview of the Improvement Science approach that North Dakota is implementing: Improvement Science: A Key to Success in Your Schools - YouTube
- Schools receive priority points for NDDPI-sponsored opportunities
Exit Criteria
A school may exit TSI status upon achieving one of the following:
- No longer consistently underperforming based on the state's accountability system
- Success in meeting established interim goals in the identified subgroups is making progress on its own
Schools identified as TSI that do not meet 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
- School Year 2022-2023 Targeted Support and Improvement Schools (based on 2021-2022 accountability data)
- School Year 2021-2022 Targeted Support and Improvement Schools 2021-2022