COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

August 17, 2012

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) Flexibility Waivers – Certain Requirements for Schools Not Meeting Annual Measurable Objectives

Virginia, under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) flexibility waiver granted on June 29, 2012, has established annual measurable objectives (AMOs) designed to reduce proficiency gaps between high- and low-performing schools within six years.

Per the provisions of the ESEA flexibility waiver, schools that do not meet the AMOs for subgroups must develop and implement improvement plans.  The plans should focus specifically on the interventions for those students at risk of not passing a Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment including English language learners (ELL) and students with disabilities.

The flexibility waiver provisions specify different requirements for Title I and non-Title I schools with subgroups not meeting AMOs.  Information about the requirements and support that will be provided by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) appears below.

Title I schools with subgroups not meeting AMOs

• Title I schools with subgroups not meeting AMOs must create a school improvement plan using Indistar®.
  • Indistar® is a web-based tool for assessing, planning, implementing, and monitoring progress toward achieving rapid improvement school indicators. It was developed by the Center on Innovation and Improvement with funding by the U.S. Department of Education and is used in 24 states.
• School improvement plans in Indistar® will be monitored twice a year by the VDOE.
• Schools, including those with existing school improvement plans, must create an Indistar® plan that includes the following required components:
• identifies research-based interventions for students at risk (including ELL and students with disabilities) in the subject areas for which the school did not meet the AMOs;
• describes how the school will monitor those interventions to ensure they are implemented with fidelity and are resulting in improvement for students;
• records agendas and minutes of school leadership team meetings.
• The Virginia Department of Education’s Office of School Improvement (OSI) will provide a series of webinars to assist schools required to use Indistar® to create a school improvement plan. Detailed information about these webinars will be provided in the coming days.
• Title I high schools that do not meet the federal graduation indicator rate are required by the federal flexibility waiver provisions to use the Virginia Early Warning System (VEWS) to plan, monitor, and implement a plan for improvement. More information on VEWS can be found at the following Web site: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/school_improvement/early_warning_system/index.shtml.

Non-Title I schools with subgroups not meeting AMOs

• Non-Title I schools and non-Title I high schools not meeting the AMOs or federal graduation indicator (FGI) are required to create a school improvement plan that includes the following required components:
• identifies research-based interventions for students at risk (including ELL and students with disabilities) in the subject areas for which the school did not meet the AMOs;
• describes how the school will monitor those interventions to ensure they are implemented with fidelity and are resulting in improvement for students;
• records agendas and minutes of school leadership team meetings.
• Non-Title I schools and non-Title I high schools not meeting the AMOs or federal graduation indicator (FGI) are not required to create school improvement plans using Indistar® or use the Virginia Early Warning System (VEWS) tool.  However, school leaders may elect to ensure compliance with federal waiver provisions by creating these plans in Indistar®.  Non-Title I schools may voluntarily take part in the upcoming webinar series to be offered by the Virginia Department of Education in support of using Indistar® for school improvement planning. Detailed information about the webinar series is forthcoming.

On September 12, 2012, the OSI will send out a link to identify specific school division staff who should receive future correspondence regarding information for focus, priority, or Title I schools that are required to write an improvement plan.  Until that time, please direct this e-mail to pertinent staff in your division.  If you need further information about the requirements to create school improvement plans, please contact Dr. Susan FitzPatrick, specialist, Office of School Improvement, at (804) 225-2897 or by e-mail to Susan.FitzPatrick@doe.virginia.gov.

PIW/KMS/pl