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District staff outline ATSI/TSI school designations, turnover and targeted supports
Summary
Staff reported which schools hold Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) designations, explained the three‑year ATSI funding that paid for coaches and licenses, and listed schools likely to come off or remain on the lists pending spring test results.
District staff told the Kershaw County School Board of Trustees in February 2025 that two federal/state accountability labels — ATSI (Additional Targeted Support and Improvement) and TSI (Targeted Support and Improvement) — continue to be used to identify underperforming schools and subgroups and guide interventions.
Ms. Corner explained the technical difference: TSI identifies subgroups that fall in the lowest 10% on state report card measures compared with all students; ATSI is a three‑year designation tied to federal funds (the designation applied in fall 2022) and affects which schools receive targeted federal allotments. Ms. Corner said ATSI funds have been used to pay for three elementary math coaches, a special education coach and i‑Ready licenses.
Ms. Corner listed schools that will come off ATSI in the fall of 2025 based on improvement, including Midway Elementary School and North Central Elementary School; Camden High School and Lugoff‑Elgin High School previously came off. She also identified schools she expected likely to drop off the disabled list if spring standardized testing scores met projections (Blaney, Pine Tree and a school identified in the packet as “Watery”). Ms. Corner said three schools likely to remain on the disabled ATSI list in the coming cycle are Camden Elementary, Dobie Smith Elementary and Jackson School.
For TSI, Ms. Corner and other staff named affected campuses and subgroups: Lugoff‑Elgin High, Lugoff‑Elgin Middle, North Central High and Stover for TSI disabled; Camden Elementary, Camden High and Jackson for TSI poverty; and additional listings for TSI African American, Hispanic and multilingual learner subgroups shown in the board packet. Staff said TSI designations carry no additional funds but trigger required monitoring and supports.
District leaders described a suite of improvement work: monthly data huddles that examine MAP interim assessment data, chronic absenteeism and failure rates; targeted professional development for principals and teachers; revitalization of the MTSS (Multi‑Tiered System of Supports) process; and turnaround plans submitted to and approved by the state for several underperforming schools. Staff emphasized careful data review to identify and correct reporting errors that can affect designations.
Board members asked about who participates in data huddles; staff said the team typically includes the superintendent or designee, instructional leadership (including Ms. Corner), special education leaders and school principals. Staff characterized the work as ongoing and attributed progress to principals, teachers and students. Several schools were reported to have made progress sufficient to leave ATSI once the state confirms fall 2025 data.
