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Virginia Department of Education

Information on this page is provided by the Office of School Improvement.

Staff Contacts

School Improvement & Reform

Focus Schools

In June, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education granted Virginia waivers from certain requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). For detailed information, see Virginia's ESEA Flexibility.

Per the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) flexibility waiver provisions, ten percent of Virginia’s Title I schools (72) are identified as focus schools based on reading and mathematics achievement of students in the three proficiency gap groups.  Focus schools must employ a state-approved coach to help the division develop, implement and monitor intervention strategies to improve the performance of students at risk of not meeting achievement standards or dropping out of school.  The Office of School Improvement (OSI) has designed a comprehensive system of support for identified focus schools and their division-level teams.

• Focus schools guide (PDF)

Webinars

Indistar Technical Assistance

The Virginia Department of Education Office of School Improvement offers a series of webinars for Focus Schools on the use of the Indistar Web-based planning tool.

Using the Indistar Web-Based Planning Tool to Support School Improvement

• Presentation (PPT) – Session 1 Recorded Webinar: Using Indistar to register schools, provide school information, and form school team.
• Presentation (PPT) – Session 2 Recorded Webinar: Using Indistar to assess school indicators
• Selecting Indicators Worksheet (Word)
• Rapid Improvement Indicators (PDF)
• District Improvement Indicators (PDF)
• Presentation (PPT) – Session 3 Recorded Webinar: Using Indistar to create a school plan
  
• Sample Tasks for the Required Rapid Improvement School Indicators (Word)
• Worksheet: Aligning Division- and School-Level Improvement Plans (Word)
• Presentation (PPT) – Session 4 Recorded Webinar: Using Indistar to monitor a school plan

• Sample Division Improvement Plan Tasks (Word)
• Frequently-Asked Questions about the Indistar Web-based Planning Tool (PDF)

• Presentation (PPT) – Session 5 Recorded Webinar: Using the Indistar Web-based Planning Tool to Support School Improvement

• Improvement Plan Checklist (Word)
• Quarterly Data Meeting Information (PDF)

Conference Resources

• Documents from the September 17, 2012 focus schools conference
  • Requirements for Focus Schools (PPT)
  • Developing, Implementing, and Monitoring Interventions (PPT)
  • Differentiated Technical Assistance Team – Supporting Focus Schools (PPT)
  • Using Datacation as a Tool for Improving Use of Student Data in the Improvement Process (PPT)
    • Data Checkup Next Steps (Word)

 

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