Nevada Department of Education outlines CSI designation criteria, supports, and school visit process

The Nevada Department of Education on a recorded webinar explained how schools are identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) under federal and state accountability rules, the supports available to schools and LEAs, and deadlines and procedures for school improvement planning and visits.

Dr. Susan Olry, Education Program Professional for CSI schools at the Nevada Department of Education, said during the presentation, "I am doctor Susan Olry, and I am your contact EPP for CSI school designations." She described the department's technical assistance, virtual and on-site visits, and professional learning offerings to help schools exit CSI within the three-year window provided by Nevada's ESSA plan.

The presentation explained when schools enter CSI. Title I schools in the bottom fifth percentile of the adjusted Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) index score are identified for CSI under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Title I schools that do not exit Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) after a three-year improvement plan may be moved into CSI. Any high school with a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate below 67 percent is identified for CSI regardless of Title I status. The NDE presentation said schools are evaluated after three years; if they have not improved sufficiently they are redesignated as CSI MRI (more rigorous interventions).

The webinar set out exit criteria: a school must no longer meet the current-year CSI entrance criteria and must have an adjusted NSPF index score at least 10 points higher than the year it was identified, or for high schools must have an adjusted cohort graduation rate at or above 67 percent in the current NSPF year. The presentation noted that upon exiting CSI, schools become immediately eligible for other designations such as ATSI or TSI and referenced the NSPF manual for additional detail.

NDE described the roles and responsibilities of the school, the LEA and the state education agency (SEA). Schools must develop a high-quality School Improvement Plan (SIP) focused on the data areas that led to CSI designation, include goals, evidence-based strategies and action steps, regularly monitor the plan, and post the SIP on the school website. LEAs must approve and monitor SIPs, set local submission due dates that align with the state's deadlines, review resource allocations, coordinate school-visit scheduling with NDE, and notify parents of designation status. The department said NDE will review, approve and monitor SIPs and status checks submitted via the Plan for Learning platform and will provide feedback or request clarifications as needed.

The presentation described NDE’s visit criteria and schedule. First-year CSI schools will receive one virtual visit; second- and third-year CSI schools are scheduled for an on-site visit between October and April if their index scores are trending downward. Second- and third-year schools with stagnant index scores will receive a virtual visit. Schools showing improvement continue to be monitored through SIPs and status checks. NDE said principals and LEA representatives will be emailed sign-up links for virtual visits and that the LEA will coordinate on-site visit dates.

The webinar listed program deadlines: SIPs were due in the Plan for Learning platform on Aug. 15, with a final submission extension to Sept. 15 for the first year of the new deadline; star ratings were published Sept. 15; principals were asked to complete viewing the webinar by Oct. 31; CSI SIP status check 1 is due to NDE Nov. 30 and status check 2 is due Feb. 28. NDE posted office hours from Oct. 27 through Nov. 7. The presentation repeatedly cautioned that LEA due dates may be earlier than the NDE deadlines and urged schools to follow district timelines.

The department promoted available resources, including the Nevada accountability portal for NSPF reports, the NDE school improvement web page, the Plan for Learning submission platform, an NDE-hosted SIP Padlet (to be archived when new guidance is published), NDE professional learning pages, and the WestEd Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning (CALL) survey. The presenter said, "Best of all, the call survey is fully funded by NDE and supported in partnership with WestEd," noting the survey is built around four domains for rapid school improvement: turnaround leadership, talent development, instructional transformation and culture shift.

The presentation closed by asking viewers to register their attendance via a QR code, contact their EPP or LEA representative for assistance, and to review and adjust SIP goals and actions to ensure they address the data that prompted CSI identification. Dr. Susan Olry also introduced Dr. Jess Delalo as the school improvement team supervisor at NDE and noted the SIT team's experience in federal programs and school improvement work across district and state levels.

Ending: The NDE presentation is primarily informational; it provides procedural deadlines, criteria and resources for schools and LEAs working on CSI improvement. Schools and LEAs were directed to follow LEA-specific submission dates, sign up for visits when notified, and contact NDE EPPs for support. The webinar recording and resource links were referenced for additional detail.