![](media/image1.png){width="1.2354166666666666in"
height="0.6951388888888889in"}

**Pennsylvania's Statewide System of School Support**

The Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) mission is to lead and
serve the educational community to enable each individual to grow into
an inspired, productive, fulfilled, lifelong learner. In order to
achieve this mission, all PDE initiatives, supports, professional
development activities, plans and management decisions since 2002 have
been developed and implemented with this goal as the focal point. While
NCLB requires each state educational agency to establish a statewide
system of support, it has always been the belief of PDE, as evidenced in
its mission statement, that in order for students to achieve, the
appropriate supports and services must be made available to everyone
tasked with the responsibility of getting those students to proficiency
and beyond.

Since the inception of NCLB, PDE, with the assistance of outside
entities, has been working and continues to work to build, establish and
implement a comprehensive statewide system of school support that
addresses the needs of all K-12 schools and students regardless of their
needs and regardless of their AYP status. Certainly, schools and
districts struggling with achievement issues and falling short of state
AYP targets need and receive more intensive, differentiated supports,
but in order to ensure that ALL students are challenged and inspired,
Pennsylvania's Statewide System of School Support provides assistance
for ALL, wherever they find themselves right now in their goal of having
all children proficient by 2014.

Pennsylvania's research-proven model is based on three tiers: Foundation
Assistance, Field-Based Assistance and Targeted Assistance. A series of
tools, resources, supports and programs have been developed by PDE and
its partners to assist schools and districts in making decisions and
research-proven changes in the educational environment to positively
impact student achievement. The supports provided at the "Foundation"
level are for everyone. The programs and resources available under the
Field-Based and Targeted Assistance levels are designed specifically for
the schools in School Improvement and LEAs in District Improvement, or
with schools in School Improvement. The intensity of the supports
increase as the level of School Improvement/Corrective Action increases
and schools move through the second tier and enter into the third tier
of the model.

![](media/image2.png)

Because the capacity needed to provide support to 501 school districts
and over 100 charter schools is beyond what the PDE alone can provide,
many partners have worked closely with the PDE in the development of the
research-proven tools and resources, asas well as in delivering the
training and content to the LEAs and schools. These partners include 29
Intermediate Units, 3 regionally-based Pennsylvania Training and
Technical Assistance Networks (PaTTAN), the Center for Data Driven
Reform in Education, the Center for Schools and Communities, the Title I
State Parent Advisory Committee, the Parent Information Resource Center
and the Mid-Atlantic Comprehensive Center.

Several additional leadership groups also function within PA to
effectively manage the Statewide System of School Support (SSOS),
include partners in decision making and ensure that the necessary
services and supports are provided.

As demonstrated in the graphic above, the Bureau of Teaching & Learning
Support is the PDE office responsible for the development and
implementation of the SSOS. This bureau takes the lead on managing the
SSOS, maintaining the partnerships necessary to support the SSOS,
garnering new partners as needed and making policy-level decisions
around the work of the SSOS. To assist in this role, the bureau has
contracted with Delaware County IU 25 to serve as the lead in
coordinating services offered by all partners, school improvement
planning statewide and development and delivery of training statewide.

The School Improvement Leadership Team serves to inform the policy
makers in the PDE and Bureau of Teaching and Learning Support and to
provide a comprehensive leadership approach to school improvement
planning and implementation. The members of the team include
representatives from many different educational arenas including, but
not limited to, IU Executive Directors, Superintendents, PaTTAN,
professional associations, special education representatives, Delaware
County IU 25 and PDE representatives. The leadership team meets
regularly to discuss important school improvement issues, timelines,
research-proven approaches, current issues in education and NCLB. All
issues brought up during leadership meetings and recommendations made by
members are reviewed by a core group of people in order that they may be
addressed and/or carried out appropriately statewide. This core group is
the third and final leadership body involved in the SSOS, the School
Improvement Core Team.

The School Improvement Core Team is a small group of PDE staff and
Delaware County IU 25 staff who review issues brought up by the SI
Leadership Team, determine if changes need to be made to policies and
procedures, implement recommendations made and provide overall
management of the SSOS. While it is the SI Leadership Team's task to
bring out issues, initiate conversations and come up with solutions, it
is the SI Core Team's responsibility to make everything happen in a
manageable, coordinated, organized, effective manner. The SI Core Team
meets once every two weeks to ensure that all timelines are met,
necessary decisions are made and that activities take place as planned.

Among all three of these leadership groups, there are separate and
distinct roles, but each must work together cooperatively and
consistently. Members of each group cross over into the others so that
the same messages are carried from one to the other and all have
opportunities to provide feedback.

![](media/image3.png){width="3.75in" height="1.15625in"}

> **[Foundation Assistance:]{.underline}**
>
> **­ Tier 1 Supports**

It is at this level of support where schools and districts can receive
support and assistance for educational issues that are newly identified
or even forecast so they can be addressed early, before negatively
impacting student achievement. For example, schools identified as Making
AYP may have a small subgroup of students facing an issue that could
cause the school to not make AYP in several years as targets increase.
They can access these foundational supports and services to correct the
situation now with programs and practices that are proven to work.

Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) data from schools in
School Improvement I & II indicates that when effective support is
provided while a school is in these levels of improvement, nearly
three-quarters are able to exit school improvement before moving into
corrective action. Based on this data and the others, PDE believes that
Foundation Assistance must be focused on as much as the other two tiers
in the system so that no school finds itself faced with monumental
achievement problems that will take years to address effectively.
Likewise, PDE must help schools and districts begin to think of "school
improvement" as a continual process, not just a process that is
activated when a school is identified for improvement. Through
familiarization and integration of these Foundation Assistance programs
and supports, PDE believes this will be achieved.

The Foundation Assistance available to all school districts and charter
schools is best categorized into three areas: 1) Intermediate Unit
Capacity Building; 2) Programs, Initiatives and Tools; 3) Professional
Development Opportunities.

**[Intermediate Unit Capacity Building]{.underline}**

Pennsylvania provides public education to its students through 501
public school districts and over 100 charter schools. These public
schools are spread out over more than 46,000 square miles and provide
services to over 1.8 million students in a state that is largely rural.
In order to more effectively provide services to these students (as well
as nonpublic school students), the Pennsylvania School Code was amended
in 1970 to create 29 regional Intermediate Units (IUs) that would
provide services such as curriculum development, instructional
improvement services, educational planning services, pupil personnel
services, state and federal liaison services and more to the schools
located within its geographical area. Since their inception, the IUs
have built strong relationships within their regions and across the
state and are consistently looked to for educational supports and
assistance from schools, parents, community members and the PDE.

Because such an imbedded and useful regional support system already
exists in PA, the most effective and efficient manner in which to offer
increased supports to schools is to utilize this structure and to build
and enhance its capacity to provide school support services that are
research-proven to be effective.

The PDE has worked in partnership with all 29 IUs in PA to create and
implement the IU Capacity Building Program with the intention of
providing financial and technical support to IU staff in order that they
will provide assistance to schools regarding: data and root cause
analysis, school improvement planning, student assessment, effective
teaching strategies, interventions and special education, and quality
implementation of the plan.

The IU Capacity Building Program provides supports across all three
tiers of the SSOS (Level I, II, III), but at the Foundation Assistance
tier Level I support is available. Each IU is provided state funding at
Level I that is based on the total number of schools within the
districts located within its geographical region. (i.e. the more
districts/schools in the IU, the greater level of funding) These funds
are used by each IU to support the services provided to schools needing
support in any of the areas. Schools may or may not be in any level of
improvement, but can access staff from their own IU or any other IU in
the state that may have expertise in a specific area. Staff within each
IU are highly trained in the area of school improvement and are
available for assistance whenever needed. They provide both on-site and
off-site supports.

**[Programs, Initiatives and Tools]{.underline}**

PDE and its many partners have worked together to develop many programs,
initiatives and tools for use by schools and districts statewide for
various purposes. One purpose for developing these programs, initiatives
and tools is to provide IUs with standardized materials for use with
schools. By providing standardized tools and materials, PDE can ensure
the same message is carried out to all schools and that the message(s)
is standards-driven and effective. Another purpose for developing these
items is to ensure that while demanding high levels of accountability
from schools, proper supports are available, if requested, that will
allow schools and students to achieve.

All Foundation Assistance programs, initiatives and tools are available
to all schools, but for schools in school improvement and corrective
action, the supports provided to utilize and implement these resources
become more intensive and directed.

Below is a summary of the various programs, initiatives and tools
provided through PDE or one of its SSOS partners and available at the
Foundation Assistance level to ALL schools and/or districts:

-   ***[Getting Results! Framework for School Improvement
    Planning]{.underline}***: Getting Results! is a framework or
    template used by schools to develop school improvement plans. The
    tool currently takes schools through a three-step process in which
    school-based teams: collect data, analyze data and determine root
    cause and develop an action plan to implement for improvement. By
    using this framework schools are required to ask hard questions
    about their educational practices, their organization, their
    teaching staff, their instructional materials and more. The
    framework has been designed to ensure that Title I School
    Improvement and SWP requirements are all addressed, so a school can
    develop one, comprehensive plan.

-   ***[School Improvement Plan Review and Continuous
    Improvement]{.underline}***: Schools in school improvement are
    required to develop and submit a school improvement plan that meets
    all state-level requirements as well as NCLB requirements. These
    plans are two year plans and must be implemented the year following
    identification for improvement. Schools receive support and
    assistance through the IUs and PDE staff during the development of
    the plans and begin implementation in the fall of each school year.
    In the spring, implementation of the plans is reviewed and if
    adjustments are necessary, they are made at the end of the school
    year and implemented in the following school year. Changes in PSSA
    data will also inform this revision process and would need to be
    included in the following year plan and implementation as well.

-   ***[Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System
    (PVAAS)]{.underline}***: PVAAS is a measure of growth/ progress and
    is intended to serve as a complement to existing achievement
    measures. By measuring the academic achievement of students and the
    academic progress of students, schools and districts will have a
    more robust and comprehensive picture of their effectiveness in
    raising student achievement. Valued-added analysis offers an
    objective and more precise way to measure student progress and the
    value schools and districts add to students\' educational
    experiences.

-   ***[Voluntary Model Curriculum]{.underline}***: Model curriculum
    will be available in all content areas beginning with mathematics.
    Frameworks will be available that provide conceptual organizers
    promoting and supporting the consistent application of "Big Ideas"
    -- those core concepts that are essential for students to
    understand, in order to truly achieve. Content will be available at
    three levels: anchors-based, standards-based and beyond
    standards-based, which offers a differentiated approach to
    instructional design and delivery to meet the needs of a diverse
    student population.

-   ***[Assessment Anchors]{.underline}***: This tool helps teacher,
    schools and districts align curriculum, instruction and assessment
    practices to the PSSA and the state's academic content standards.
    Because the standards are sometimes too broad and too numerous to be
    the basis for meaningful decisions about curriculum and instruction,
    PDE developed Assessment Anchors. These anchors focus on a set of
    core standards that can be measured by a large-scale assessment;
    provide clear descriptions of standards are measured by the PSSA;
    define grade-appropriate expectations for each grade level and
    content area assessed; support a spiral flow of content-specific
    curricula from year to year; define a manageable set of content
    knowledge and skills for students; and provide eligible content at
    each grade level.

-   ***[Adopt-an Anchor Program]{.underline}***: This program is a
    process for designing and implementing a "reading and mathematics
    across the curriculum" program at the secondary level that is
    focused on delivering instruction targeted to the assessment
    anchors. The program is based on the assumption that secondary math
    and English teachers cannot carry the entire load for meeting AYP
    goals in math and reading. Nor should content area teachers be
    overloaded with responsibility for delivering reading and math
    instruction that distracts from their own content instruction.
    Content area teachers are encouraged to find specific reading and
    mathematics assessment anchors that fit naturally with their
    curriculum and assume responsibility for teaching those anchors
    within the context of their regular content curriculum.

-   ***[Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Program (PIL)]{.underline}***:
    The PIL program is a statewide, standards-based leadership
    development and support system for school leaders at all levels. The
    program is intended to build capacity among school leaders by
    focusing on what they need to know and do in order to guide and
    direct instructional improvement and improvements in student
    achievement. The program is based upon three core standards and six
    corollary standards, which form the basis for two different
    leadership programs: The Grow Program and The Support Program. The
    Grow Program is designed to address the three core leadership
    standards with principals and assistant principals with less than
    four years of experience. The curriculum and training is provided by
    certified National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) trainers.
    The Support Program is designed for experienced school district and
    intermediate unit administrators. The curriculum is based on the
    three core leadership standards as well as the six corollary
    standards. The curriculum and pedagogy is developed by the regional
    PIL sites. Eight regional PIL sites serve all school districts and
    intermediate units within the state.

-   ***[Project 720 (High School Reform Model)]{.underline}***: This
    program is a voluntary state grant program to create high schools
    that are student-centered, results-focused, data-informed and
    personalized in the delivery of services to students. All high
    schools participating in the program must sign on to a standardized
    high school reform agenda.

-   ***[Classrooms for the Future]{.underline}***: Classrooms for the
    Future is about creating environments for deeper cognitive
    development through inquiry, real and relevant project-based
    learning, and differentiated instruction. Grant recipients will
    receive funding to purchase technology equipment, infrastructure,
    and support as delineated under Funding; however, the purposes of
    the *Classrooms for the Future* program are not to support
    technology acquisition but to foster 21^st^ Century teaching and
    learning.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   ***[Dual Enrollment]{.underline}***: Dual enrollment allows students
    to take college courses and earn postsecondary credit while
    completing high school graduation requirements. State funds are
    provided to school districts to assist with the costs of providing
    these courses, with additional targeted funds available for low
    income districts.

-   ***[Early College, Middle College and Gateway to College
    Programs]{.underline}***: As a subpart of the Dual Enrollment
    Program described above, this initiative will provide programs to
    support at-risk students who are not succeeding in their traditional
    high school environments and help them to finish high school and
    enter college. Participants will offer a more comprehensive set of
    postsecondary activities for students that allow them to graduate
    with a high-school diploma and substantial college credits, often by
    taking all of their courses on a college campus, thus re-engaging
    youth who might otherwise fail to pursue their academic aspirations.

-   ***[Accountability Block Grant (ABG)]{.underline}***: The
    Accountability Block Grant provides Pennsylvania school districts
    with financial assistance to implement effective educational
    practices and initiatives to improve student achievement in the core
    subject areas of math, literacy and science. Funds must be used by
    school districts to attain or maintain academic performance targets
    by establishing, maintaining or expanding one or more of 11 proven
    practices or programs such as full-day kindergarten, after school
    programs, pre-k programs and continuous professional development. 
    In particular, the Block Grant can be used for operating
    expenditures associated with allowable programs, including staffing;
    technical assistance; learning materials and resources; travel and
    partnerships. 

-   ***[Academy for Urban Teaching]{.underline}***: A State grant
    program targeting minority youth in urban inner-city schools with
    the intent of interesting them in taking up teaching as a profession
    after high school graduation. High school students may apply during
    their sophomore and junior years.

-   ***[College and Career Counseling Grants]{.underline}***: State
    grant program to create a student-centered 8-12 career development
    system for preparing high school graduates for college and career
    success. Focus is on enabling school counselors and teaching staff
    to focus on the interactions between students and their school with
    the expressed purpose of reducing the effects of environmental and
    institutional barriers that impede student academic success. The
    goal is for students to realize the importance of their academic
    preparation in relation to career, thus making them increasingly
    motivated to learn, to complete advanced courses and to complete
    high school.

> **[Professional Development Opportunities]{.underline}**
>
> The majority of professional development offerings within the SSOSS in
> Pennsylvania are provided by and/or through one of the partners in the
> project---IUs (either as part of the IU Capacity Building Program, or
> in conjunction with one of the programs, initiatives and tools
> described in the previous section), PaTTANs , or various outside
> experts. PDE staff work to manage and oversee these various partners
> and projects, but because the capacity of PDE cannot adequately
> support the number of school districts and charter schools in the
> state, these partners carry out most of the activities throughout the
> state.
>
> Below is a summary of the different professional development
> opportunities available to all schools within the Foundation
> Assistance tier of PA's SSOSS:

-   ***[Getting Results! Professional Development]{.underline}***:
    Through the IU Capacity Building project and under the management of
    PDE and the Delaware County IU 25, all 29 IUs are provided with the
    training and resources needed to train teams of school staff on data
    analysis, root cause analysis and the identification of solutions.
    Training is available to all schools, but is more targeted and
    focused in the 2^nd^ and 3^rd^ tiers of the model when schools enter
    into improvement and corrective action. Different materials have
    been developed for use by IUs and are updated on a continuing basis
    as new research becomes available and needs change.

-   ***[Pennsylvania Value Added Assessment System (PVAAS)
    Training]{.underline}***: With leadership from the PDE, Harrisburg
    PaTTAN and IU 13 provide statewide assistance and training to school
    districts on the proper use of PVAAS data and decision making using
    the data.

-   ***[Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership (PIL) Professional
    Development]{.underline}***: A large component of the PIL program is
    professional development and support related to the three core and
    six corollary standards for leadership. The overall program provides
    curriculum, materials and resources as described under Programs,
    Initiatives and Tools, but the professional development portion of
    the program is ensures that participants have the necessary training
    and support to effectively complete the program and continue on as
    an effective instructional leader.

-   ***[4 Sight Benchmark Assessments]{.underline}***: These assessments
    are formative and are given quarterly throughout the school year.
    The assessments are aligned with the PSSA and indicate how students
    would perform on the PSSA if it were given at these times during the
    school year. PDE offers free training primlarily through PATTAN, but
    also through IUs for any district wishing to participate.

-   ***[Center for Data Driven Reform in Education
    (CDDRE)]{.underline}***: The PDE has partnered with The Center for
    Data-Driven Reform in Education (CDDRE) to provide the following
    services to state, district, and school leadership teams through its
    Raising the Bar program: t**raining in and coaching on using a
    data-driven decision-making process for planning and achievement;
    information on research-proven solutions to student achievement
    challenges; training in and coaching on instructional leadership and
    achievement monitoring.**

-   ***[Response to Intervention State Alignment &
    Support]{.underline}***: PA has established a state-level workgroup
    to provide overall direction and alignment within the
    standards-based system that has been built within the last four
    years. PA is one of the few states in the country that implements
    RTI as a general education strategy. Instructional practices in
    school-wide applications of progress monitoring, reading and
    behavior have been developed. Several pilot elementary sites were
    established to develop the data collection procedures and
    intervention protocols. Initial awareness training materials,
    statewide training with the 29 IUs and beginning secondary school
    implementation has been provided by the state RtI team.

-   ***[PA Governor's Institutes]{.underline}***: The PA Governor's
    Institutes for Educators consist of a series of professional
    education programs designed to foster the creation of challenging
    learning environments. Programs are rich with opportunities to
    deepen subject area knowledge and include real-world experiences
    that help educators make the link to the Pennsylvania Academic
    Standards, reading and math (anchors), classroom assessments and
    technologies. The programs consist of two models: 1) Larger
    consolidated events for 400-600 educators in conference center
    settings lasting 3 days for which professional development hours are
    awarded, and 2) smaller week-long summer programs for 75-100
    educators at higher education institutions, for which 2 graduate
    level academic credit hours are awarded.

> Model 1 Offerings: Model 2 Offerings:
>
> Data Driven Decision Making Arts Education
>
> Innovation in Education (HS Reform) Improving School Climate
>
> Science/Technology/Engineering/Math (STEM) Early Childhood Literacy
>
> Pre K/K Literacy
>
> Environment & Ecology

ESL Strategies

> Health Safety and Physical Education
>
> Financial Education
>
> Reading, Writing, Speaking and
>
> Listening (CTE Program)
>
> Social Studies
>
> Urban Education
>
> World Languages

-   ***[Online Professional Development]{.underline}***: PDE offers free
    courses to Pennsylvania educators, in accordance with the
    requirements of Act 48-1999 and Act 5-2006. A partnership with
    Learning Sciences International (LSI) provides courses to certified
    educators through its Online Professional Education Network (OPEN).
    The number of online course offerings is currently 38 including the
    new Classrooms for the Future series on 21st Century Teaching &
    Learning. These online courses provide access to job-embedded
    professional development activities for all educators. (All course
    content is reviewed and approved by the PDE prior to inclusion.)

-   ***[PDE Professional Development & Support]{.underline}***: The SSOS
    is not only a system that involves many partners outside of PDE, but
    is also a cross-bureau PDE initiative. Many different bureaus,
    divisions and offices within PDE provide professional development,
    technical assistance and support to all schools around the various
    PDE initiatives and programs. For example, the Division of Federal
    Programs provides technical assistance, support and training
    regarding the use of federal funds to improve academic achievement
    while remaining in compliance with federal regulations; the Division
    of Professional Development provides support and technical
    assistance to school districts regarding the development and
    implementation of effective professional development plans; the
    Bureau of Accountability and Assessment provides training and
    support on the implementation of the PSSA and proper analysis of
    results; etc. All PDE programs, initiatives and tools have an
    assigned PDE office to provide management oversight, technical
    assistance and support.

-   ***[PaTTAN Professional Development]{.underline}***: Three regional
    locations (Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and King of Prussia) provide
    ongoing training opportunities to help parents and educators
    maximize the achievement of all students, including students with
    disabilities. To better meet the needs of our participants, training
    opportunities are delivered via workshops, guided practice,
    seminars, statewide conferences, distance learning,
    videoconferences, online courses, etc.

By providing these strong Foundation Assistance programs that include
funding, structured programs, tools and training in effective,
research-proven practices, the SSOSS provides ALL schools and districts
with the supports necessary to improve student achievement before it
becomes problematic.

![](media/image4.png){width="2.6458333333333335in"
height="1.2083333333333333in"}

The Field-Based Assistance (Tier 2) level of supports in the SSOS
provides more targeted, focused support to schools identified by the
PSSA as School Improvement I or School Improvement II. A generalization
of this level of support is that all of the supports provided at the
Foundation Assistance level are now looked at more in-depth, more
critically and more focused by school staff, administrators, PDE
partners and PDE staff. For example, assistance provided through the IU
Capacity Building program would ensure that school staff reviews data
regarding the populations of students failing to make AYP targets and
that solutions are chosen that will positively affect those populations
of students.

In addition to more focused Foundation Assistance, new supports now
become available at the Field-Based Assistance level as well. These
Field-Based Assistance supports are provided mainly through the 29 IUs
and PaTTAN regional support centers.

-   ***[Education Assistance Program (EAP)]{.underline}***: This program
    is state-funded and requires school districts identified for
    improvement or higher to develop and implement tutoring programs for
    students failing to score at or above the proficient level on the
    PSSA. Program funds are provided through PDE and support and
    assistance is provided by 10-12 EAP Technical Assistants (TAs) who
    are assigned to provide direct support to all of the schools
    administering EAP programs. These EAP TAs work one-on-one with their
    assigned districts and schools to establish and implement effective
    tutoring programs.

-   ***[IU Capacity Building Support---Field-Based Assistance (Level
    2)]{.underline}***: At this level of the IU Capacity Building
    program, state funds are provided to LEAs for their schools
    identified for improvement or corrective action (\$9500 per
    building). As a typical first-choice partner to the District, IU's
    are typically partnered with the districts via their Curriculum
    Coordinators who work with each school and district staff to
    determine how to use these funds in support of school improvement
    efforts. The funds may be used to pay for more intensive IU supports
    from the local IU or any other IUs that may have expertise in the
    areas of need. As well, funds may be used to access outside support.
    IU Curriculum Coordinators work more intensely with schools
    identified for improvement to develop review data, determine root
    causes and identify solutions. IU staff continue to support schools
    throughout the school year with training and assistance during the
    implementation of school improvement plans.

-   ***[Title I School Improvement Funding]{.underline}***: Title I SI
    set aside funds are made available to all Title I buildings
    identified for School Improvement I or II. All schools in these
    levels of improvement received a "Base" allocation. These funds must
    be used to support the activities outlined within each schools'
    approved school improvement plans.

-   ***[Required Attendance at Model 1 Governor's
    Institutes]{.underline}***: School districts with one or more
    schools in school improvement or higher are required to send
    school-based teams of educators (including building-level
    administrators) to the Data Driven Decision Making Governor's
    Institute each summer. At this institute, participants will be
    involved in content sessions and data analysis session, both in the
    evening and during the day. The Data Driven Decision Making
    Governor's Institute is facilitated by CDDRE staff, distinguished
    educators, EAP Technical Assistants, PDE and IU curriculum and
    special education advisors. At the conclusion of the institute,
    school-based teams are prepared to return to their schools and begin
    the process of developing an effective school improvement plan.
    (Depending on the subject and/or grade level needing improvement,
    school-based teams may also be required to attend the other Model 1
    Governor's Institutes on High School Reform and Science, Technology,
    Engineering and Math.)

-   ***[Bureau of Teaching & Learning Supports]{.underline}***: When
    schools are identified for improvement, staff from the Division of
    Federal Programs, intensify the supports available to them. These
    supports include, but are not limited to, assistance in the
    development of school improvement plans, parent notification letters
    and budgets for required federal fund set asides. As well, staff in
    the Division of Continuous School and District Improvement provide
    technical assistance and support to schools regarding plan
    development and timelines for plan development, submission and
    implementation.

> ![](media/image5.png){width="1.75in" height="1.7395833333333333in"}

-   **w*[Distinguished Educator Initiative (DE)]{.underline}***: The PDE
    has developed the DE program to recruit, train and assign
    experienced educators to struggling schools and districts in
    planning and implementing effective school reform efforts. Depending
    on the needs of the schools and districts to which they are
    assigned, DEs may serve as coaches or mentors for administrators,
    assist in the development of prescriptive solutions to student
    achievement problems and provide budget and financial assistance.
    DEs are assigned to schools for a minimum of a year and work
    one-on-one with school personnel as an integral participant in
    reform efforts.

-   ***[Distinguished School Leaders Program (DSL)]{.underline}***: The
    DSL program provides schools with experienced special educators to
    work directly with them if their IEP subgroup is the focus of school
    improvement efforts. These DSLs work out of the regional PaTTAN
    offices and are available to their assigned schools at any time.
    They work along side of the DEs as well, so that reform efforts are
    coordinated and complimentary.

-   ***[IU Capacity Building Support---Targeted Assistance (Level
    3)]{.underline}***: In addition to Levels I and II supports to
    schools, schools in corrective action are awarded \$10,000 in state
    funding. These funds are awarded to the schools' local IU. The IU
    staff, DE, DSL and school administration must plan and coordinate
    the use of these funds to support their school improvement/reform
    efforts. PDE provides these teams with options for spending the
    funds to ensure that funds are spent in targeted ways to ensure
    student achievement. Throughout the planning process and the
    implementation process, IU staff, DEs, DSLs and school
    administrators provide support and assistance to schools and staff.

-   ***[Title I School Improvement Funds]{.underline}*: In addition to
    Title I set aside funds allocated at the "Base" level, schools in
    corrective action also receive "Targeted" funds from this set aside.
    New Title I School Improvement Grant funds are also now available to
    schools in Corrective Action II (second year and higher) to
    supplement the Title I set aside funds. In the 2007-08 school year,
    the total amount of funds available to schools at the highest levels
    of corrective action exceeds \$140,000.**