School Improvement Grants: Year Two Implementation
The federal Title I School Improvement Grant (SIG) provides funding and support to the state's identified Persistently Lowest Achieving schools in order to rapidly and dramatically increase student achievement. Minnesota SIG schools are implementing comprehensive intervention models designed to build capacity for sustainable improvement. Required intervention model elements include:

   •  Increasing time for learning
   •  Giving teachers time to collaborate
   •  Evaluating teachers and principals regularly
   •  Setting ambitious goals for student learning

After more than a year of school turnaround efforts in Minnesota, SIG schools have demonstrated a promising commitment to the process. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and school districts have a heightened sense of urgency to support capacity building and improve educational opportunities for the nearly 8,000 students enrolled in SIG schools. Schools are going deeper in implementing the intervention model components to the greatest extent possible in year two of SIG.

 

Research and Tools

Document Download:

• School Leader Selection Resources and Tools 
  These resources include a sampling of principal selection tools from a variety of sources to assist in selecting an effective school leader.
• School Leader Selection STAR Process 
  This selection process is based on a candidate’s ability to describe situations, tasks, actions, and results based on their past school leadership experiences.
• School Leader Selection Public Impact Resources 
  This turnaround leader selection process comes from Public Impact, a national education policy and consulting firm, and is based on consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, acting, and speaking. Interview questions focus on a candidate’s description of past experiences.
• Meta-Analysis of the Quality School Review Results 
  This report contains an analysis of the underlying trends identified during the course of the Quality School Reviews of the identified Persistently Lowest Achieving schools. It outlines the strengths, challenges and possible areas for improvement among these schools.

School Improvement Grant Program Administration

Document Download:

• Waiver Notice: School Improvement Grants, Section 1003 (g) of ESEA 
  MDE intends to request a waiver of the State-level requirements as indicated in this document.
• 2010 State Application for the School Improvement Grant 
  Minnesota's approved 2010 federal application for 1003(g) funds contains the plan for implementing the School Improvement Grant program in the State.
• 2009 State Application for the School Improvement Grant 
  Minnesota's approved 2009 federal application for 1003(g) funds contains the plan for implementing the School Improvement Grant program in the State.
• Turnaround School Profiles 
  Each grantee implementing a turnaround model has gone through a rigorous review and planning process. The profiles include links to key data and planning documents for each school.
• Quality School Review Reports 
  Districts and other local education agencies that have indicated an intent to apply for the SIG have had a Quality School Review (QSR) conducted at their eligible school(s). The QSRs are comprehensive and independent reviews of the performance of the identified schools.
• Grant Award Details and Applications 
  In compliance with federal requirements, the amount of the awards, the models selected and the full text of all of the submitted applications is available.
• School Improvement Grant Monitoring Schedule 
  The 2011-2013 on-site monitoring schedule for School Improvement Grant awardees is provided here.
• Minnesota's Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools 
  The Minnesota Department of Education ("Department") is required to identify persistently low achieving schools across the state of Minnesota. The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) set forth criteria for identifying persistently low achieving schools as part of the School Improvement Grant (1003(g)) program, SFSF and RTTT programs.
• School Improvement Grant Personnel Activity Reporting 
  Guidance is provided here for employees paid with School Improvement Grant funds to report time and effort.
• School Improvement Grant Equipment Monitoring Procedures 
  The monitoring document used by the Minnesota Department of Education to review equipment purchased by School Improvement Grant awardees is provided here.