Investments and Interventions

To achieve our vision of a great school close to where every student lives, we know some schools need more support so that children can have the learning opportunities they deserve. Through the System of Great Schools (SGS) process, we are able to bring those additional supports to schools with the goal of improving school quality faster.

What schools have we focused on?

To view a full list of schools that have participated in the System of Great Schools process, click here.

Watch the video below to hear more from school communities about their experiences with System of Great Schools.

How are schools selected?

Each year, the District reviews performance at all schools and, based on this data, selects a set of schools to prioritize.

Schools are designated as focus schools because they meet two criteria:

  1. The three-year SPR average for the school is between 15-25 out of 100.
  2. The school does not already have a major intervention in place (such as already being in the Acceleration Network, receiving state designation as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement school, etc.)

How is each school community involved? 

This is a collaborative process and principals, staff members, students, families and community members are all essential partners. We engage the school community at  multiple points during the process to better determine what kinds of funding and support will make the biggest impact on school performance for students.

What are the potential outcomes of this process?

After substantial data gathering and analysis during a school’s first year as a focus school, there are two ways schools can receive additional funding and support:

  • One way is a school could enter the Acceleration Network. All schools in the Acceleration Network follow the same approach to quickly improve the school. Schools in the Acceleration Network receive additional professional development during the summer and throughout the school year, smaller class sizes in grades K-1, teacher coaches and counselors.
  • A second way is a school could develop an Academic Improvement Plan (AIP). A school’s planning team made up of the school’s principal, leadership team, teachers, and parents/family members write the plan with support from the school’s Assistant Superintendent and central office. Plans are customized to the school’s needs and resources are chosen based on data.

In school year 2020/2021 an additional option was added in which schools receive added supports through the district’s initiative to prioritize schools performing off-track in alignment with district board goals and guardrails.

For more information, check out our FAQ page!