Targeted Support & Improvement

11/22/2024

Dear IC Imagine Families,

Thank you for your support and commitment to working alongside us to maximize academic outcomes for your child(ren). I am writing to share that our school, like many other schools in NC, has been identified as a Targeted Support and Improvement- Continually Underperforming (TSI-CU) school by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the 2024-2025 school year. 

North Carolina's Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plan identifies schools for targeted support and improvement when schools have student subgroup(s) [Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged Students, English Learners, and Race/Ethnicity] that are consistently underperforming. Schools with one or more subgroups receiving an 'F' letter grade in the accountability system for the most recent and previous two years are identified as TSI-CU. The fall 2024–25 TSI-CU identification uses 2023–24, 2022–23, and 2021–22 data to identify schools with consistently underperforming subgroup(s).  This year, there are 1,267 schools identified on the 2024-25 list.  Identified annually, TSI-CU schools exit this identification if the identified subgroup(s) receives at least the grade of ‘D’ for the most recent and previous year’s score. These subgroup letter grades do not reflect upon any individual student, but rather identify general groups of students for whom we must rapidly increase student proficiency. 

At IC Imagine, the subgroups currently identified as needing targeted support and improvement are our students with disabilities and black students. We continue our commitment to implementing best practices for all students knowing that doing so will increase outcomes for our subgroups that are currently underperforming and increase the number of students in all subgroups who are proficient on the End of Grade/ End of Course standardized tests.

At IC Imagine, our vision is that all children have the opportunity to thrive.  We champion an inclusive environment for academic excellence, strong relationships, physical and mental well-being, creativity, and exploration. We focus on the individual growth of each student knowing an increase in growth will directly correlate with an increase in student proficiency. Our goal for the 2024-2025 school year is to meet or exceed growth in all subgroups.  

In response to our school data, and this designation, we overhauled our School Improvement Plan and strategic goals to ensure we are meeting the needs of all students. This plan addresses the following indicators:

  • Culturally Responsive Classroom Management (Core Behavior Best Practices)

  • Tiered instructional supports

  • Teacher attentiveness to students’ emotional states

  • Supports focused on graduation

  • Identifying students at risk for drop out


IC Imagine is a North Carolina State Improvement Project (NCSIP) grant recipient and is proud to partner with NCSIP to improve instruction. This grant funding helps to support the implementation of instructional best practices to improve outcomes for all students, specifically those with disabilities. Learn more on their website: https://www.ncsip.org/parents

Research has proven there is a strong correlation between family engagement and student performance.  As such, strengthening family engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts and our school’s strategic plan.  Here are some ways you can help:

  • Make sure you and your child are aware of the academic expectations for the school year;

  • Ensure your child arrives on time and is prepared for each school day;

  • Monitor the progress your child is making and attend meetings with your child’s teacher(s);

  • Review your child’s class assignments and together discuss his/her progress;

  • Monitor and limit the amount of time your child spends engaging with screens (watching television, using their phones, and playing video games, etc.);

  • Participate in the school’s Imagine Parent Organization (IPO) and other initiatives & programs for parent engagement; and

  • Reach out to your school level’s principals if you have questions or concerns about your child or to set up an appointment to meet with any employee who works directly with your student.

Below are resources to view our data as well as the data from other Public School Units in our area and across the state. Below are resources to access and links where you can view our data as well as other Public School Units in our area and across the state:

Sincerely,

Jenn Townley

Head of School