Program Improvement Designation and Title I Funding
Regional System of District and School Support (RSDSS)
S4 Mission
District and School Program Improvement Assistance
District Assistance & Intervention Team (DAIT)

Program Improvement Designation and Title I Funding
Schools or districts that receive Title I Part A funds and do not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two consecutive years become identified as Program Improvement. After making AYP for two years, a school or district can exit Program Improvement status. The San Diego County Office of Education provides support to Program Improvement schools and districts.

For more detailed background on Program Improvement, refer to No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Legislation
           

Regional System of District and School Support (RSDSS)
The Regional System of District and School Support (RSDSS) is a component of California's Statewide System of School Support (S4), which was established to meet state and federal requirements for a support system that would increase the opportunity for all students to meet academic content and achievement standards. The statewide system consists of regional consortia, which may include county offices of education and school districts, aligned to the 11 regions established by the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA).

S4 Mission
The mission of S4 is to build a school district’s capacity to support its low-performing schools.  This mission is realized through the dissemination of information, technical assistance, and brokering of regional and statewide resources.

District and School Program Improvement Assistance
Program Improvement services are tailored to meet schools’ and districts’ individual needs. Services include supporting schools and districts with:
- Needs Assessment / Academic Program Survey (APS) Online
- Action Plan Development and LEA Plan Revisions
- Assessment and Accountability Support
- Curriculum and Instruction Support
- English Learners and Students with Disabilities Support
- Response to Intervention Framework
- Principal Leadership Development and Coaching
- Professional Learning Communities

In addition to those customized services, the following resources are available to support schools and districts in Program Improvement:

• CDE Tools for Program Improvement Schools & Districts
  
• SDCOE Program Improvement Process at a Glance (PDF)
  
• USDE Non-Regulatory Guidance on LEA and School Improvement July 2006 (MS Word)
  
• CDE Sample Parent Notification Letter Templates
• School Improvement Grants (SIG) - Persistently Low Performing Schools

Sample PI Parent Letters
These letters meet the requirements of NCLB without legal review
- Year 1 SDCOE PI Letter ENGLISH (MS Word)
- Year 2 SDCOE PI Letter ENGLISH (MS Word)
- Year 3 SDCOE PI Letter ENGLISH (MS Word)
- Year 4 SDCOE PI Letter ENGLISH (MS Word)
- Year 5 SDCOE PI Letter ENGLISH (MS Word)

District Assistance & Intervention Team (DAIT)
The central premise of the District Assistance and Intervention Team (DAIT) is that the district is the nexus for educational change both within the district office and in its schools, and that an external team can effectively work with district leadership to effect change. Districts collaborate with the DAIT to complete a comprehensive needs assessment, prioritize a set of high leverage actions to improve student achievement and provide support for implementation of district and school level changes. The district provides the leadership, along with the fiscal, human and technical resources, to fully implement a solid instructional program for all students.

District Role in Education Change (PDF)
This paper is a review of research on the role of the school district in educational change conducted by Stephen E. Anderson for the International Center for Educational Change, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in August 2003.

Excerpt from the paper:
“Academically successful districts also tend to emphasize instructional quality as one of the keys to improvement in student learning. The districts mobilize and align district and school operations, resources, and supports with these two focuses in the forefront -- student achievement and instructional quality.”

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