Elevate Schools FAQ

Elevate Schools Program 

As a result of the 2022 General Legislative Session the USBE is required to identify the lowest performing non-Title I district and charter schools implementing targeted support and improvement activities as defined under federal requirements.  Elevate Schools are voluntary programs schools and schools are selected based on an application.

The following document is intended to identify and provide a response pertaining to the Elevate Schools program. 

What is an Elevate Program School? 

  • An Elevate school is a non-Title I District school or Charter school: and 
  • Is an identified Targeted Support Improvement (TSI) 
  • Is currently implementing targeted support and improvement activities. 

How will Elevate Schools be notified about the Program? 

  • All TSI non-Title 1 schools will be invited to participate in the voluntary program. 

Is there an application process? 

  • To be considered for participation, each interested school must apply. 

Are there any weighted considerations in the application? 

  • Yes. The following will assist the CCSI in selecting the six (6) schools to participate in the Elevate Program. They are:  
  • Schools with highest number of TSI Student Groups 
  • The Overall performance of the school 
  • Recent growth of the TSI Student Groups 
  • Size of the School  
  • LEA commitment to provide support. 

If you meet the requirements to be in the Elevate School Program, do you have to participate? 

  • No. Participation is voluntary. Schools that meet the criteria to be an Elevate school may apply to participate and receive additional support from the USBE. 

How many schools will be in the Elevate School Program? 

  • At least six (6) schools  

What are the benefits of participating in the Elevate School Program? 

  • Elevate schools participating in the program will receive additional support from the USBE including but not limited to: 
  • A thorough School Improvement Plan based on Comprehensive Needs Assessment and Root Cause Analysis 
  • Additional funding available to address specific identified needs. 
  • An approved USBE Continuous improvement expert (CIE) 
  • Ongoing implementation and project management support  
  • Dedicated Support from the Center for Continuous School Improvement  

How many years will Elevate Program Schools receive support? 

  • Elevate schools will receive four (4) consecutive years of support (SY 2023-2024 – SY 2026-2027). 

Is the Four Domains (FD) Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning (CALL) required? 

  • Yes, schools that apply and are designated for the Elevate required to take the FD CALL and attend the post CALL results training. 

What is the post CALL training session? How long is the training? Who attends the training? 

  • The post CALL training sessions are two, three-hour sessions that lead principals and their school improvement team through interpreting the CALL data, how to prioritize the data, how to connect the data to the comprehensive needs assessment and root cause analysis, and how to use the data to drive, monitor, and measure improvement in the four domains of rapid school improvement. 

What is a Continuous Improvement Expert (CIE)? Are they required? What do they do? 

  • The CIE is required. They must be approved by the USBE. They must submit a proposal to be considered for contracted services with the Elevate Program School. The proposal must include: 
  • Strategy to address the root causes of the Elevate school's low performance identified through the needs assessment (see required Comprehensive Needs Assessment and Root Cause Analysis) 
  • A scope of work (SOW) that requires the CIE to at a minimum: develop and implement in partnership with the school improvement committee a school improvement plan. 
  • A scope of work to facilitate implementation of strategies to effectively respond to the academic and behavioral needs of students in high poverty communities; or other services that respond to the needs assessment. 
  • A scope of work that may require the CIE to develop sustainable school district and school capacities to effectively respond to the academic and behavioral needs of students in high poverty communities; or other services that respond to the needs assessment. 

Can a school exit from the Elevate Schools Program? 

  • No. Schools are required to commit to four-years If they leave the program, LEAs/Charter Organizations may be responsible to reimburse the USBE funds provided for school participation in the Elevate School Program. 

Are there exit criteria for the Elevate Schools Program? 

  • No. The only requirement or commitment is that selected schools must remain in the program for four (4) years. 

What are the expectations for Elevate Cohort 2023 schools? 

  • Elevate schools are required to: 
  • Stay in the program for four years. 
  • Conduct a Needs Assessment and Root Cause Analysis  
  • Create and implement a School Improvement Plan 
  • Create a School Improvement Committee 
  • Partner with a Continuous Improvement Expert 
  • Requires a proposal and subsequent approval by USBE. 
  • Meet required monitoring and reporting timelines. 

Are schools in the Elevate Program required to have a Comprehensive Needs Assessment and Root Cause Analysis? 

  • Yes. Each Elevate Program School will have a Comprehensive Needs Assessment and Root Cause Analysis (CNA/RCA) conducted and completed by a USBE approved consultant. The results of the CNA/RCA will be the foundation of the required school improvement plan. 

Are schools in the Elevate Program required to have a school improvement plan (SIP)? If yes, what is required to be in the school improvement plan? 

  • Yes. The results of the CNA/RCA will be the foundation of the required school improvement plan. 
  • School Improvement Plans must include: 
    • How the school/charter will address root causes of low performance identified in the needs assessment 
    • Include recommendations regarding changes to: 
      • School/Charter personnel 
      • Culture 
      • Curriculum 
      • Assessments 
      • Instructional practices 
      • Governance 
      • Leadership 
      • Finances 
      • Policies 
      • Other areas necessary to implement the improvement plan. 
    • Measurable student achievement goals, objectives, and benchmarks to measure progress. 
    • Professional development plan that identifies strategies to address problems with instructional practice. 
    • Detailed budget specifying how the school improvement plan will be funded including: 
      • A plan to assess and monitor progress. 
      • A plan to communicate and report data on progress to stakeholders. 
      • A timeline for implementation 

Are Elevate Program schools required to have a school improvement committee? If yes, who is required to be on the committee? 

  • Yes. Each Elevate Program School is required to create a School Improvement Committee. 

Who is required to be on the School Improvement Committee? 

  • For School districts, the required school improvement committee members include but are not limited to: 
  • One (1) local school board member who represents the voting district where the school is located. 
  • The school principal. 
  • Three (3) parents of students appointed by the chair of the school community council. 
  • One (1) teacher at the school appointed by the principal. 
  • One (1) teacher at the school appointed by the school district superintendent: and 
  • One (1) school district administrator. 
  • For Charters, the required school improvement committee members include but are not limited to: 
  • One (1) member of the charter school governing board, appointed by the chair of the charter school governing board. 
  • The school principal. 
  • Three (3) parents of students enrolled in the school appointed by the chair of the charter school governing board: and 
  • Two (2) teachers at the school, appointed by the school principal. 

Can a Elevate Program School use an existing school team or committee? 

  • Yes. However, the composition of the team or committee must include the required members listed for your school or Charter. 

Are there LEA/Charter requirements for the Elevate Schools Program? 

  • Yes. They are: 
  • Prioritize school district funding and resources for Elevate schools. 
  • Grant Elevate schools streamlined authority over staff, schedule, policies, budget, and academic programs to implement the school improvement plan. 

 Are there required reporting timelines? 

  • Yes. On or before June 1, the school improvement committee must submit the school improvement plan to the local school board for approval. 
  • Annually, a school board or designee shall report to USBE progress towards the goals, benchmarks, and timetable in the school improvement plan. 

Will there be more Elevate Schools in the future? 

  • Yes. In years when there are no Springboard schools identified, schools that meet the criteria for Elevate school determination will be identified and invited to participate.  
  • ATSI or TS schools that are not Title 1 schools and are implementing targeted support and improvement activities, may apply to be an Elevate school (a total of at least six per selection year) to participate in the following cycle of support for four (4) years: 
    • 2022-2023 (Required participation to June 30, 2026) 
    • 2023-2024 (Required participation to June 30, 2027) 
    • 2024-2025 (Required participation) to June 30, 2028 
    • No Elevate Designation - Springboard schools begins 2025-2026 
    • 2026-2027 (Required participation) to June 30, 2030 
    • 2027-2028 (Required participation) to June 30, 2031 

Contact

Dr. Gregory Firn
School Improvement Educational Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7846 | E-mail