Indistar and School Improvement Planning

Indistar is an online tool designed to systematically guide schools through the improvement process. The tool stems from Oregon’s NCLB Flexibility Waiver as a part of the State’s continuous school improvement planning process. Steps include a conducting a needs assessment, prioritizing these needs, developing a detailed Comprehensive Achievement Plan (CAP) and monitor and evaluating the plan.

Indistar is comprised of 34 research-based indicators that reflect best practices. Each indicator falls under one of five keys areas of effectiveness. Effective schools perform well in each of these five key areas, which closely align to the seven turnaround principles identified by the United States Education Department. Oregon’s definitions of the five key areas, and corresponding turnaround principles, are attached. An abbreviated list can be found below.

Five Key Areas of Effectiveness
SHORT description of the Five Key Areas of Effectiveness

1. Technical and Adaptive Leadership
2. Educator Effectiveness
3. Teaching and Learning
4. School and District Climate and Culture
5. Family and Community Involvement

Under the Waiver, all Title I schools will be required to use Indistar in their improvement planning process. Resources have been provided to assist school with this process. In addition, the Federal Programs Administrator will provide technical assistance to schools and their teams.

While Title schools require the use of Indistar, the tool is available to all districts/schools. If you would like your school’s login, please contact Tasha Katsuda, Federal Programs Administrator.

Indistar and School Improvement

• Indistar web page
• Oregon Indistar School Training Resources
• Steps to Developing your CAP handout; a quick reference guide and checklist (note: this is still considered a draft as I work to ensure the document outlines the steps as clearly as possible)
• Indistar – An Introduction; a keynote for use in providing staff with a brief introduction to Indistar and getting them started with their input on several of the indicators

Indicators

• 34 Indicators; a one-page handout

Supplemental Worksheets to Use When Developing Your CAP

• Developing a Plan worksheet
• Indicator Assessment worksheet
• Data Collection and Prioritization worksheet with guiding questions for reference
• Data Collection and Prioritization BLANK worksheet for school use
• Data Analysis worksheet with guiding questions for reference
• Data Analysis BLANK worksheet for school use
• Indicator Crosswalk

TIMELINE for Transitioning to Indistar and Developing Your Comprehensive Achievement Plan.

*All Title schools must be using Indistar/CAP by the fall of 2016

NOTE: The Eugene 4j School District will utilize Indistar when developing it’s eCIP during the 2014-2015 school year.