1. Differentiation in the Statewide System of Support
Academy of Pacesetting States

3. Operational Efficiency and Coordination
SSOS Operational Manual clearly describes the process for Identifying, Diagnosing, Prescribing, Planning, Providing, Monitoring, and Reporting differentiated services
Roles of personnel
Coordination of system
Timelines

4. Identifying Districts and Schools in Need of Support
Strong Assessment System
Unified or Simplified Accountability System (NCLB, State, Accreditation Associations, Etc.)
Multiple Data Sources
Trajectory Tracking and Projection
Transparent Criteria for Categorization
Timely and Helpful Reporting
Tools for District and School Self-Tracking
Training for Districts and Schools on Accountability System, Use of Data

5. Diagnosing Specific Needs of Districts and Schools
Analysis if outcome data—student subgroups, trajectories
Analysis of operational data—based on standards and indicators of effective practice
Self-assessment by district and school teams
Coached self-assessment by district and school teams (with guidance from state or other coach)
Site review (program audit) by external reviewers with district or school participation
Site review (program audit) by external reviewers alone

6. Improvement Trajectory Means of Diagnosis and Planning
Current Performance
Capacity for Change
Improvement Trajectory
Means of Diagnosis and Planning
Adequate and steadily improving
Strong
Continuous
Self-assessment and planning or coached self-assessment and planning
Inadequate and not improving or improving at slow rate
Moderate
Rapid
Coached self-assessment and planning and/or external review
Chronically inadequate and not improving
Weak
Turnaround
External review to determine turnaround method; leader-directed and coached self-assessment and planning thereafter in district-managed turnarounds
Null
Closure

7. Prescribing Supports
By district or school team in improvement plan, aligned with self-assessment
By district or school team in improvement plan, with coaching from state or other coach, aligned with coached self-assessment
By external reviewers with district or state participants in reviews, aligned with review findings
By external reviewers, aligned with review findings

8. Aligning Plans and Supports
Service Plan to align state supports (direct or through provision of resources) with district/school improvement plan and standards and indicators of effective practice
The Service Plan includes:
Standards and Indicators of Effective Practice to be Addressed
Objectives to be Achieved
Person(s) or Organizations Responsible for Delivering Service
School Staff to Receive Service
Description of Service
Timeline for Services Delivered
Criteria for Determining Effectiveness of Services Received

9. Providing Supports State provides Menu of Available Services
Aligned with standards and indicators of effective practice; improvement plan, Service Plan
Provided directly by state
Provided by providers approved by state, with state resources (funding)
Provided by other providers with state resources (funding)
Provided by other providers with local resources

10. Type of Support Planning Consultation Training
Professional Development
Coaching
Data Systems and Web Systems
Evaluation
Other

11. Intensity and Duration
Sufficient initial “dose”
Sufficient duration so as not to end until improvements are sustainable
Determined by current performance, desired trajectory for improvement, diagnosis of need

12. Monitoring and Reporting Progress
Monitoring of both improvement plan and Service Plan
Is district/school meeting expectations in improvement plan?
Are services provided as expected, with quality, with results?
Periodic reporting (at least twice a year)
Adjustments in course (When? By whom?)