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Cleveland City Schools board approves state-required TISA plan after discussion of benchmarks and interventions
Summary
The Cleveland City Schools Board approved its annual Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) plan after district leaders reviewed goals for third‑grade reading, ELA and math proficiency, presented interventions (coaching, PLCs, common formative assessments), and answered questions about English‑learner scoring and benchmarks.
The Cleveland City Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the district'025-26 Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) plan after a detailed presentation and questions from board members.
District academic leaders presented the three state-required goals that guide the plan: that 70% of third-graders be proficient on the TCAP by 2030; that systemwide English‑language arts proficiency increase by 3% each year; and that math proficiency increase by 3% each year. "It says that 70 percent of the students have to be proficient on the third grade TCAP by the year of 2030," the presentation said, noting the plan is a state requirement and must be uploaded to the Tennessee Department of Education.
Presenters reviewed recent local results and the district ction steps. The presentation said third‑grade TCAP proficiency in the district decreased from 36.1% to 34.5% last year and that the prior annual target (42.5%) was not met. To address the gaps, the plan emphasizes general education intervention (GEI) plans for at‑risk students, continued use of high‑quality instructional materials, expanded instructional coaching, and stronger professional learning communities (PLCs) and common formative assessments at every grade level.
District leaders described instructional coaching as a central strategy. The board was told the district uses the Jim Knight coaching model and that coaches currently support more than 89 coaching cycles across the district. Officials also described unannounced "walkthroughs" to monitor classrooms and gather data for targeted PLC work.
Board members pressed for more detail about how progress will be measured during the school year. Officials said common formative assessments and benchmark tests (with a December benchmark scheduled) will provide mid‑year data and that some diagnostic programs can project May outcomes from a beginning‑of‑year and December benchmark.
Several board members asked how English‑learner students factor into the rates. District staff said scores for English‑learner students do not count for the first two years they are in the country (and that, practically, it can take several years for full English proficiency), but disaggregated ESL data can be pulled on request so the board can compare ESL cohorts to peers.
After questions, board member Matthew Coleman moved to approve the TISA plan; Jody Riggins seconded. Miss Wheeler called the roll; the motion passed on a unanimous vote.
What happens next: the board pproval and minutes will be uploaded to the state Department of Education, and district staff said they will return with mid‑year benchmark data at the February board meeting to report progress toward the plan's targets.
