Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools Michigan Department of Education August 16, 2010

2 State law requires identification of lowest achieving schools by September 1 of each year beginning in 2010 List of Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools is developed following federal guidelines approved by the United States Department of Education as required in state law Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools

3 Schools on the list must submit a redesign plan to the state and implement the plan Plans must be approved by the state school reform/redesign officer (SRRO) Schools without approved plans or those not making progress under their plan are subject to further action

4 Some elements of the collective bargaining agreements in PLA schools may be modified to implement the redesign plan Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools

5 Plans may take effect immediately, but no later than the beginning the school year after approval Per statute, plans must use 1 of 4 intervention models –Transformation –Turnaround –Restart –Closure Plans must include any collective bargaining agreement amendments needed to implement Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools

6 If the SRRO disapproves a plan, or if the school does not achieve satisfactory results, the SRRO will: –Place the school into the State School Reform/Redesign District (SRRD) –Impose one of the four approved intervention models –Amend collective bargaining agreement to implement plan –SRRO may appoint a chief executive officer (CEO) (for one school or multiple schools) Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools

7 SRRO must approve a redesign plan if it contains all of the required elements of the intervention. If SRRO disapproves a redesign plan, the LEA may appeal the disapproval to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. SPI decision is final.

8 Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools PLA schools are eligible to apply for a competitive School Improvement Grant PLA schools can find the application in the MEGS system as “ARRA” SIG If a school does not want to apply for SIG, the same MEGS system must be used to submit a redesign plan

9 Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools Timeline –Department notification – August 16, 2010 –Deadline for submission of redesign plan – November 16, 2010 –Approval, disapproval, or change – December 18, 2010 –Changes submitted – 30 days –December 19-September 5 – plan and/or implement redesign model –September 6, 2011 – Implementation of redesign model must be started –By September 1, 2011 – MDE notifies identified school communities regarding schools on the PLA list

10 The SRRO is the superintendent of the SRRD SRRO must report annually to the Legislature on progress of PLA schools The SRRD is: –A statewide public school district –Made up of those schools assigned to it by the SRRO Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools

11 Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools Contact Information: –Mary Alice Galloway Interim State School Reform/Redesign Officer –Jean Shane Senior Policy Advisory

12 Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools Contact Information: –For data questions: Venessa Keesler Manager of Accountability –For School Improvement Grant questions Linda Forward Director, Office of Education Improvement and Innovation