CHAPTER 5. STRATEGIC AND CONTINUOUS SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT PLAN
IC 20-31-5
Chapter 5. Strategic and Continuous School Improvement and
Achievement Plan
IC 20-31-5-1
Development of initial plan
Sec. 1. (a) The principal of each school shall coordinate:
(1) the development of an initial three (3) year strategic and
continuous school improvement and achievement plan; and
(2) an annual review of the plan.
(b) The initial plan and annual review must be made with input
from a committee of persons interested in the school, including
administrators, teachers, parents, and community and business
leaders appointed by the principal. Teacher appointments to the
committee must be made in accordance with IC 20-29.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.
IC 20-31-5-2
Charter used as strategic and continuous school improvement and
achievement plan
Sec. 2. (a) This section applies to a charter school.
(b) A charter entered into under IC 20-24-4 may be used as a
charter school's three (3) year plan.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.
IC 20-31-5-3
Superintendent's review of plan
Sec. 3. (a) The committee must submit a school's initial plan to the
superintendent by March 1 of the school year before the year of
implementation. The superintendent:
(1) shall review the plan to ensure that the plan aligns with the
school corporation's objectives, goals, and expectations;
(2) may make written recommendations of modifications to the
plan to ensure alignment; and
(3) shall return the plan and any recommendations to the
committee by April 1 of the school year before the year of
implementation.
(b) A committee may modify the plan to comply with
recommendations made by the superintendent under subsection (a).
(c) A committee shall submit:
(1) the plan; and
(2) the written recommendations of the superintendent;
to the governing body by May 1 of the school year before the year of
implementation.
(d) An initial plan must be established by June 1 of the school
year before the year of implementation by approval of the governing
body. The governing body shall approve a plan for each school in the
school corporation. When a plan is presented to the governing body,
the governing body must either accept or reject the plan and may not
revise the plan. A plan is established when written evidence of
approval is attached to the plan.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.
IC 20-31-5-4
Requirements of plan
Sec. 4. (a) A plan must:
(1) state objectives for a three (3) year period; and
(2) be annually reviewed and revised to accomplish the
achievement objectives of the school.
(b) A plan must establish objectives for the school to achieve.
These achievement objectives must be consistent with academic
standards and include improvement in at least the following areas:
(1) Attendance rate.
(2) The percentage of students meeting academic standards
under the ISTEP program (IC 20-31-3 and IC 20-32-5).
(3) For a secondary school, graduation rate.
(c) A plan must address the learning needs of all students,
including programs and services for exceptional learners.
(d) A plan must specify how and to what extent the school expects
to make continuous improvement in all areas of the education system
where results are measured by setting benchmarks for progress on an
individual school basis.
(e) A plan must note specific areas where improvement is needed
immediately.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.
IC 20-31-5-5
Waiver of applicability
Sec. 5. (a) A plan may include a request for a waiver of
applicability of a rule or statute to a school.
(b) The governing body may waive any rule adopted by the state
board for which a waiver is requested in a plan, except for a rule that
is characterized as follows:
(1) The rule relates to the health or safety of students or school
personnel.
(2) The rule is a special education rule under 511 IAC 7.
(3) Suspension of the rule brings the school into noncompliance
with federal statutes or regulations.
(4) The rule concerns curriculum or textbooks.
(c) Upon request of the governing body and under a plan, the state
board may waive for a school or a school corporation any statute or
rule relating to the following:
(1) Curriculum.
(2) Textbook selection.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.
IC 20-31-5-6
Components of plan for school
Sec. 6. (a) A plan must contain the following components for the
school:
(1) A list of the statutes and rules that the school wishes to have
suspended from operation for the school.
(2) A description of the curriculum and information concerning
the location of a copy of the curriculum that is available for
inspection by members of the public.
(3) A description and name of the assessments that will be used
in the school in addition to ISTEP program assessments.
(4) A plan to be submitted to the governing body and made
available to all interested members of the public in an easily
understood format.
(5) A provision to maximize parental participation in the
school, which may include providing parents with:
(A) access to learning aids to assist students with school
work at home;
(B) information on home study techniques; and
(C) access to school resources.
(6) For a secondary school, a provision to do the following:
(A) Offer courses that allow all students to become eligible
to receive an academic honors diploma.
(B) Encourage all students to earn an academic honors
diploma or complete the Core 40 curriculum.
(7) A provision to maintain a safe and disciplined learning
environment for students and teachers that complies with the
governing body's plan for improving student behavior and
discipline developed under IC 20-26-5-32.
(8) A provision for the coordination of technology initiatives
and ongoing professional development activities.
(b) If, for a purpose other than a plan under this chapter, a school
has developed materials that are substantially similar to a component
listed in subsection (a), the school may substitute those materials for
the component listed in subsection (a).
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.66-2009, SEC.2.
IC 20-31-5-7
Availability of plans
Sec. 7. The department shall act as a clearinghouse for plans and
shall make effective plans available to school corporations as models
to use in developing and carrying out plans.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.