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March 22, 2018
Education has its own language, one that includes lots of acronyms. You’ve probably heard school staff talk about AP (Advanced Placement), EL (English learner) and IEP (Individualized Education Program). In late 2015, federal education law added two new ones: CSI (comprehensive support and improvement) and TSI (targeted support and improvement). Here’s what these terms mean, and why you need to know.
What is a CSI school? If you hear someone say a school is a “CSI school,” it means your state education agency has identified it as one of the lowest-performing schools in the state. This is based mostly on students’ academic performance. Also, any high school with a graduation rate of 66 percent or less is a CSI school.
What if your students attend a CSI school? If the students in your program attend a CSI school, they might need extra support in certain academic subjects. The next time you talk with the principal or teachers, ask about subjects where students need the most help, or skills they might need to develop. Chances are, the school will welcome you to the team — and you’ll gain valuable insights into ways to help all the students in your program succeed.
What is a TSI school? A TSI school is one where at least one subgroup of students is consistently underperforming in school. It could be English learners, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, migrant students or some other group, depending on which ones your state education agency includes in its accountability system.
What if your students attend a TSI school? If your students attend a TSI school, your program may serve students who belong to subgroups that aren’t doing as well, even if most students at the school are performing above average. Talk with the school principal or teachers about which groups of students might need extra help or support. They can share data about subgroup performance, and together you can discuss ways your program can enhance the school’s efforts to support students in low-performing subgroups.
Talk with school staff. If you find out your students attend a CSI or TSI school, and you’re hesitant to start a conversation with school staff, here’s something to keep in mind: Once you get past the “alphabet soup” of education acronyms, your program and the school are working toward the same goal — helping children and youth reach their full potential. You can support one another as you move toward your goal. It’s worth starting the conversation!
Use Y4Y resources to prepare program staff as they support the school’s efforts. Here are two ideas to get you started:
- Use Y4Y’s Trainings to Go to help program staff facilitate effective homework time and incorporate academic content. Why not invite school staff to help you customize and present the training?
- Use Y4Y’s online courses to help program staff learn new strategies (like project-based learning) and increase their knowledge in academic subject areas such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and literacy.