Nevada Department of Education outlines responsibilities, supports for TSI-designated schools
October 14, 2025 | Department of Education, Executive Agencies, Organizations, Executive, Nevada
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Cori Eckstow, an education programs professional with the School Improvement Team in the Office of Student and School Support at the Nevada Department of Education, presented guidance for schools designated as Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) during a webinar.
Eckstow laid out the roles and responsibilities of TSI schools and their local education agencies (LEAs), described how the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) identifies TSI designations, and reviewed tools and deadlines for districts to document improvements and exits from TSI status.
The guidance matters because TSI designation requires schools and districts to adopt evidence-based interventions, monitor subgroup performance, and report exits to the state; failure to meet expectations can affect schools’ improvement plans and eligibility for technical assistance and state-funded supports.
Eckstow opened by describing the School Improvement Team’s approach: to understand each school’s context through conversations with district representatives, principals and school teams and to provide targeted technical assistance and, when available, funding for evidence-based interventions. She introduced members of the NDE School Improvement Team and four contractors who support the office.
She summarized how NDE and LEAs determine TSI designation and exit. NDE’s accountability team identifies TSI designations at the start of the school year (noted in the presentation as coinciding with the Nevada School Performance Framework report release, typically published on or about Sept. 15). A school is identified for TSI if it is not already designated as CSI (Comprehensive Support and Improvement) or ATSI and at least one student subgroup is consistently underperforming on academic achievement indicators and on two or more other indicators such as growth, graduation rate, English learner proficiency or student engagement.
Eckstow emphasized that LEAs are responsible for establishing exit criteria for their TSI schools: “A TSI school will exit its TSI status when it no longer meet exit criteria set by their LEA or school district, or they’re no longer designated as TSI identified by the NDE accountability team,” she said. She reiterated that, by law as presented in the webinar, NDE is not required to conduct an on-site visit for TSI schools and that NDE asks LEAs to submit lists of exited TSI schools in Title I Grantee/Title and Credit by June 30.
Required school actions described in the presentation include completing a comprehensive needs assessment, developing a district-approved school improvement plan that uses interventions meeting ESSA evidence-levels (strong, moderate, promising or rationale), providing quarterly progress updates to district support teams, and routinely engaging parents and community members in the improvement process. District responsibilities include notifying parents about identification, reviewing and approving school plans, monitoring fidelity of implementation, tracking quarterly progress for student subgroups, and producing an end-of-year summary review.
Eckstow also walked participants through how to locate and upload the TSI Assurance template in the Title and Credit system and noted that NDE reviews submitted assurances and lists of exited schools and follows up with LEA improvement teams as needed. She said the NDE School Improvement Team “provides funding to support evidence based intervention for improving student achievement as available” and provides technical assistance on request.
As a support option, Eckstow described a four-domain “call survey” (turnaround leadership, talent development, instructional transformation and culture) available at no cost to schools and supported in partnership with WestEd; the survey includes feedback and on-site coaching to help develop action plans. She gave contact information for the School Improvement Team, said office hours for designated schools will be offered Oct. 27–Nov. 7 (two daily slots, 10:00–10:30 a.m. and 3:00–3:30 p.m.), and encouraged districts to reach out for one-on-one meetings.
The presentation and related resources will be posted on the NDE website, Eckstow said. She closed by inviting questions and listing the team’s contact information for follow-up.
Eckstow laid out the roles and responsibilities of TSI schools and their local education agencies (LEAs), described how the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) identifies TSI designations, and reviewed tools and deadlines for districts to document improvements and exits from TSI status.
The guidance matters because TSI designation requires schools and districts to adopt evidence-based interventions, monitor subgroup performance, and report exits to the state; failure to meet expectations can affect schools’ improvement plans and eligibility for technical assistance and state-funded supports.
Eckstow opened by describing the School Improvement Team’s approach: to understand each school’s context through conversations with district representatives, principals and school teams and to provide targeted technical assistance and, when available, funding for evidence-based interventions. She introduced members of the NDE School Improvement Team and four contractors who support the office.
She summarized how NDE and LEAs determine TSI designation and exit. NDE’s accountability team identifies TSI designations at the start of the school year (noted in the presentation as coinciding with the Nevada School Performance Framework report release, typically published on or about Sept. 15). A school is identified for TSI if it is not already designated as CSI (Comprehensive Support and Improvement) or ATSI and at least one student subgroup is consistently underperforming on academic achievement indicators and on two or more other indicators such as growth, graduation rate, English learner proficiency or student engagement.
Eckstow emphasized that LEAs are responsible for establishing exit criteria for their TSI schools: “A TSI school will exit its TSI status when it no longer meet exit criteria set by their LEA or school district, or they’re no longer designated as TSI identified by the NDE accountability team,” she said. She reiterated that, by law as presented in the webinar, NDE is not required to conduct an on-site visit for TSI schools and that NDE asks LEAs to submit lists of exited TSI schools in Title I Grantee/Title and Credit by June 30.
Required school actions described in the presentation include completing a comprehensive needs assessment, developing a district-approved school improvement plan that uses interventions meeting ESSA evidence-levels (strong, moderate, promising or rationale), providing quarterly progress updates to district support teams, and routinely engaging parents and community members in the improvement process. District responsibilities include notifying parents about identification, reviewing and approving school plans, monitoring fidelity of implementation, tracking quarterly progress for student subgroups, and producing an end-of-year summary review.
Eckstow also walked participants through how to locate and upload the TSI Assurance template in the Title and Credit system and noted that NDE reviews submitted assurances and lists of exited schools and follows up with LEA improvement teams as needed. She said the NDE School Improvement Team “provides funding to support evidence based intervention for improving student achievement as available” and provides technical assistance on request.
As a support option, Eckstow described a four-domain “call survey” (turnaround leadership, talent development, instructional transformation and culture) available at no cost to schools and supported in partnership with WestEd; the survey includes feedback and on-site coaching to help develop action plans. She gave contact information for the School Improvement Team, said office hours for designated schools will be offered Oct. 27–Nov. 7 (two daily slots, 10:00–10:30 a.m. and 3:00–3:30 p.m.), and encouraged districts to reach out for one-on-one meetings.
The presentation and related resources will be posted on the NDE website, Eckstow said. She closed by inviting questions and listing the team’s contact information for follow-up.
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