Designation Categories

OSSE is federally required by the US Department of Education (USED) to designate DC’s lowest performing schools for improvement and additional support, under the 2015 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This designation process must use methodologies detailed in OSSE’s ESSA State Plan as approved by USED.

OSSE made school improvement designations for the first time under its 2022 ESSA State Plan Amendment in December 2024. These designations were made using OSSE’s statewide accountability framework, and include four (4) designations based on school-wide accountability scores, as well as one (1) designation for schools that are consistently underperforming for a particular student group, as follows:

Requirements for Designated Schools

Designated schools, with support from their LEAs, are required by law to develop and submit to OSSE a School Improvement Plan (SIP) that is informed by accountability data, includes evidenced-based strategies for improvement, and is based on a Needs Assessment as well as a Resource Allocation Review.

Specific requirements differ based on a school’s designation category, as follows:

* Completed at the LEA Level and only required by multi-site LEAs who have 10 or more of their schools identified for Comprehensive or Targeted Support, or 60 percent of their schools identified for Comprehensive or Targeted Support (whichever is lower).
O: Not required to follow the OSSE template and does not have to be approved by OSSE.
X: Required to use the OSSE templates and must be approved by OSSE.

Required Planning Documents

• Needs Assessment Template: The Needs Assessment supports schools to review data and engage their communities to determine key challenges and specific underlying root causes to be addressed in their school improvement efforts. Required for each CSI, CSI-Grad, ISI and MIS designated school.
• Resource Allocation Review Template: The Resource Allocation Review (RAR) supports LEA leaders in reviewing how resources are allocated among and within their schools and whether that allocation is equitable based on student need. Required for all LEAs with 10 or more of their schools designated as CSI, CSI-Grad or TSI, or 60 percent of their schools designated as CSI, CSI-Grad or TSI (whichever is lower).
• School Improvement Plan Template: The School Improvement Plan (SIP) guides LEA and school leaders to set goals and evidence-based strategies for school improvement. Required for each CSI, CSI-Grad, ISI and MIS designated school.

Additional Supports and Resources

• Supplemental Toolkit for Designated Schools: The Supplemental Toolkit is a resource for LEAs and schools to reference throughout the Needs Assessment, Resource Allocation Review, and School Improvement Plan development process. The toolkit includes:
  • Guide to 2024 School Improvement Designation Categories
  • Guide to Establishing Your School and LEA Teams for Accelerating Progress
  • Suggested Data for Review and Goal Setting
  • Guide to Developing Milestones
  • OSSE Supports by Accelerate DC School Improvement Domain
  • Funding Strategy for Designated Schools
  • External Resources for Designated Schools
• Recording of Dec. 19, 2024 School Improvement Kick-Off Call (with school leaders from CSI-, ISI-, and MIS-designated schools)
• Recording of Jan. 8, 2025 School Improvement Kick-Off Call (CSI-Grad)
• Recording of Jan. 9, 2025School Improvement Kick-Off Meeting (TSI Schools)

For more information on school improvement under ESSA, visit osse.dc.gov/acceleratedc.