Navigating Accountability Designations: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

As the new school year kicks off, classrooms are filled with enthusiasm. Principals and teachers are eager to welcome their students and inspire them to learn! This excitement coincides with an important reminder —CSI, TSI, and ATS accountability designations. If you’re a district or school leader facing a school improvement designation, it’s natural to feel challenged. However, this is also a valuable opportunity for growth! 

Success Begins with Parents

While ESSA defines CSI, TSI, and ATS, each state has its own terminology and criteria for designating schools under these labels. Contact your region or state agency for more information for your state.

  • Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) — A school is designated as CSI if it is among the lowest-performing schools in the state and fails to meet academic standards over time. 
  • Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) — A school is designated as TSI if one or more student groups consistently underperform and miss academic targets for three years. 
  • Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATS) — A school is designated as ATS if it has one consistently underperforming student group and a performance score lower than schools needing comprehensive support. 

Why are these Designations Important?

Being labeled CSI, TSI, or ATS might seem daunting, but it presents opportunities for true growth in specific areas of need. These designations shine a light on where schools can improve, ensuring every student receives the education they deserve. They encourage schools to take a closer look at their practices and explore new resources, creating a better learning environment for everyone!

Strategies For Improvement

Schools that look at their designations as a growth opportunity often find innovative ways to improve that lead to significant gains in student achievement.

  • Data-Driven Decision Making — analyze data related to your designation, identify prioritized areas of need, and create a plan for improvement.
  • Collaboration — build a team of staff, parent, and community stakeholders who can provide valuable feedback and insights about the challenges faced by specific student groups.
  • Targeted Interventions — implement strategies and programs tailored to support identified student groups, designed to address their unique needs.
  • Professional Development — provide quality teacher training focused on effective instructional practices that address challenges faced by specific student groups.

The Role of Plan4Learning

Plan4Learning software has key features that align with state-mandated improvement frameworks related to CSI, TSI, and ATS designations. It simplifies identifying prioritized needs and their root cause, writing goals and strategies to address these needs, and tracking metrics/actions through formative review cycles. The team at 806 Technologies is here to support you in your School Improvement journey. Together, let’s transform challenges into exciting opportunities for growth!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between CSI, TSI, and ATS?

While all three are federal school improvement designations under ESSA, they focus on different levels of performance:

  • CSI applies to the lowest-performing overall schools.
  • TSI triggers when specific student groups consistently underperform over a period of time.
  • ATS focuses on schools with specific underperforming student groups whose performance falls below that of CSI schools.
Are CSI, TSI, and ATS requirements the same for all schools?

No. Although the overarching framework for CSI, TSI, and ATS is defined at the federal level under ESSA, individual states establish their own specific terminology, metrics, and criteria for designating schools. School leaders should consult their state education agency or regional support centers for specific guidelines.

How does a school exit a CSI, TSI, or ATS designation?

Exiting a designation requires demonstrating sustained growth and meeting your state’s specific exit criteria. The key is analyzing your data to identify root causes and implementing targeted interventions for the student groups that need them most. Plan4Learning software helps you create a structured framework for your improvement plan and monitor your progress through formative review cycles.

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