The Carroll Community School District (CCSD) Board of Education heard a presentation on the district’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan. CCSD administration was required to submit a written document to the Department of Education in regards to the targeted status that three of the four school buildings received on its school performance review. While placing in a commendable rating, CCSD dropped one category to an acceptable, due to select students on Individualized Education Programs (IEP). Director of Student Services Crystal Boes says the first steps the team did was reviewed the data and participated in the Self-Assessment of MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) Implementation (SAMI).
The five conceptual areas for the SAMI are leadership, infrastructure, assessment and data-based decision making, universal tier and supplemental-intensive tier. The team self-assessed each school building, ranking on a point system from identifying the leadership team, the policies and procedures in place to instructional and intervention opportunities. Boes says High School Principal Joe Blazevich says the team identified that creating a MTSS handbook, designing a structure for Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports, and defining interventions as high priorities for the high school’s ESSA plan.
Boes says the middle school is focusing on developing a Universal Instructional Design that is utilized across the entire building with all grade-levels.
Fairview Principal Ryan Simmelink says while the building was not targeted, as it does not administer the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), work staff does helps prepare students when they reach Adams Elemenatry. He recognizes that the elementary has higher self-evaluation scores in the SAMI, but says its because it is easier to implement, but an ESSA plan was still submitted and will continuously be reviewed by the team.
Plans were submitted to the Department of Education earlier in December and were approved. The district’s team will continue to review the implementation of the ESSA strategy, with follow ups from the Department of Education next spring.
