The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires state education agencies to determine low-performing schools. These low-performing schools are categorized under several names, including Comprehensive Support and Improvement schools, Targeted Support and Improvement schools, and Additional Targeted support.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) utilizes the Closing the Gaps domain to align the identification of schools for improvement with the state’s accountability system. This domain uses disaggregated data to demonstrate differentials among racial/ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other factors. Let’s examine the Targeted Support and Improvement Identification (TSI) more closely.
Campus Identification for TSI
The TEA identifies campuses as Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) by analyzing Closing the Gaps domain performance data. A student group is deemed “consistently underperforming” if it fails to meet targets in at least the same three indicators over three consecutive years. We think of this as the 3 x 3 Rule.
3 X 3 Rule Example
Let’s look at an example of the 3 x 3 Rule. For 2023 TSI identification, TEA considers data from 2019, 2022, and 2023. For 2024, TSI identification, data from 2022, 2023, and 2024 are considered, and this pattern continues for subsequent years.
In the years 2019 and 2022, a “no” signified missing the target. From 2023 onwards, a student group that earns either zero or one point for an indicator is regarded as missing the target.
| Consecutive Years of Underperformance | School Year Implementation |
|---|---|
| 2019, 2022, 2023 | 2023-2024 |
| 2022, 2023, 2024 | 2024-2025 |
| 2023, 2024, 2025 | 2025-2026 |
| 2024, 2025, 2026 | 2026-2027 |
Any campus not identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement that has at least one consistently underperforming student group is identified for TSI. This means a campus could not be identified as both CSI and TSI.
TSI identifies both Title I and non-Title I campuses and are evaluated annually for TSI identification; therefore, there are no exit criteria.
Minimum Size
Student groups must meet certain size requirements to be considered for TSI identification. If a student group is not evaluated because it does not meet the minimum size, the count of consecutive years resets for that group. Each student group needs at least 10 reading/language arts (RLA) AND 10 mathematics assessment results in the Academic Achievement component to be evaluated. Notice this is not a combination of 20 assessments in total. It is specifically separated into 10 RLA and 10 mathematics assessments.
If a group does not meet this minimum size, it is not included when identifying the campus for TSI.
Students Evaluated
In alignment with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), TSI identifications are determined annually using the disaggregated performance of the following student groups.
- African American
- American Indian
- Asian
- Hispanic
- Pacific Islander
- White
- Two or more races
- Economically disadvantaged
- Current Special education
- Emergent bilingual (EB) students/English learners (EL)
- Continuously Enrolled
- Former Special education
Student Evaluation Example
In the following example, this campus would be identified for TSI based on the performance of the white student group.
- The red cells indicate missed indicators. A student group that fails to meet the targets in at least the same three indicators for three consecutive years is classified as consistently underperforming. As a result, this campus is identified as Targeted Support and Improvement.
- This group met the minimum size and missed the same three evaluated indicators for three consecutive years: Academic Achievement (RLA), Academic Achievement (Mathematics), and SQSS: STAAR Only.
School Improvement Interventions
Once identified as targeted support and improvement, TSI campuses must identify the consistently underperforming group and identify key strategies to improve student performance. Those strategies are then documented in the campus improvement plan or the campus local improvement plan.
Contact your local Education Service Center to learn more about specific School Improvement Interventions.
Conclusion
In summary, Federal labels are a vital mechanism in Texas’ educational landscape. They target schools in need of additional support and interventions, promoting equity and quality in education. TEA aims to empower struggling schools to improve their performance. Targeted interventions, resource allocation, and ongoing monitoring provide all students with the opportunity for success.
Visit the School Improvement website for more information. A-F Accountability information is available on their website. Explore the ESC Region 13 blog for posts on topics included in this article. Keep up-to-date on the latest news for accountability by subscribing to our weekly newsletter here.
Melinda Marquez is the Director of Accountability, Assessment, and Leadership Systems here at ESC Region 13.
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