CHAPTER 5. STRATEGIC AND CONTINUOUS SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT PLAN

IC 20-31-5
     Chapter 5. Strategic and Continuous School Improvement and Achievement Plan

IC 20-31-5-1
Development of initial plan
    
Sec. 1. (a) The principal of each school shall coordinate:
        (1) the development of an initial three (3) year strategic and continuous school improvement and achievement plan; and
        (2) an annual review of the plan.
    (b) The initial plan and annual review must be made with input from a committee of persons interested in the school, including administrators, teachers, parents, and community and business leaders appointed by the principal. Teacher appointments to the committee must be made in accordance with IC 20-29.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-5-2
Charter used as strategic and continuous school improvement and achievement plan
    
Sec. 2. (a) This section applies to a charter school.
    (b) A charter entered into under IC 20-24-4 may be used as a charter school's three (3) year plan.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-5-3
Superintendent's review of plan
    
Sec. 3. (a) The committee must submit a school's initial plan to the superintendent by March 1 of the school year before the year of implementation. The superintendent:
        (1) shall review the plan to ensure that the plan aligns with the school corporation's objectives, goals, and expectations;
        (2) may make written recommendations of modifications to the plan to ensure alignment; and
        (3) shall return the plan and any recommendations to the committee by April 1 of the school year before the year of implementation.
    (b) A committee may modify the plan to comply with recommendations made by the superintendent under subsection (a).
    (c) A committee shall submit:
        (1) the plan; and
        (2) the written recommendations of the superintendent;
to the governing body by May 1 of the school year before the year of implementation.
    (d) An initial plan must be established by June 1 of the school year before the year of implementation by approval of the governing body. The governing body shall approve a plan for each school in the school corporation. When a plan is presented to the governing body, the governing body must either accept or reject the plan and may not revise the plan. A plan is established when written evidence of

approval is attached to the plan.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-5-4
Requirements of plan
    
Sec. 4. (a) A plan must:
        (1) state objectives for a three (3) year period; and
        (2) be annually reviewed and revised to accomplish the achievement objectives of the school.
    (b) A plan must establish objectives for the school to achieve. These achievement objectives must be consistent with academic standards and include improvement in at least the following areas:
        (1) Attendance rate.
        (2) The percentage of students meeting academic standards under the ISTEP program (IC 20-31-3 and IC 20-32-5).
        (3) For a secondary school, graduation rate.
    (c) A plan must address the learning needs of all students, including programs and services for exceptional learners.
    (d) A plan must specify how and to what extent the school expects to make continuous improvement in all areas of the education system where results are measured by setting benchmarks for progress on an individual school basis.
    (e) A plan must note specific areas where improvement is needed immediately.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-5-5
Waiver of applicability
    
Sec. 5. (a) A plan may include a request for a waiver of applicability of a rule or statute to a school.
    (b) The governing body may waive any rule adopted by the state board for which a waiver is requested in a plan, except for a rule that is characterized as follows:
        (1) The rule relates to the health or safety of students or school personnel.
        (2) The rule is a special education rule under 511 IAC 7.
        (3) Suspension of the rule brings the school into noncompliance with federal statutes or regulations.
        (4) The rule concerns curriculum or textbooks.
    (c) Upon request of the governing body and under a plan, the state board may waive for a school or a school corporation any statute or rule relating to the following:
        (1) Curriculum.
        (2) Textbook selection.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.

IC 20-31-5-6
Components of plan for school
    
Sec. 6. (a) A plan must contain the following components for the school:         (1) A list of the statutes and rules that the school wishes to have suspended from operation for the school.
        (2) A description of the curriculum and information concerning the location of a copy of the curriculum that is available for inspection by members of the public.
        (3) A description and name of the assessments that will be used in the school in addition to ISTEP program assessments.
        (4) A plan to be submitted to the governing body and made available to all interested members of the public in an easily understood format.
        (5) A provision to maximize parental participation in the school, which may include providing parents with:
            (A) access to learning aids to assist students with school work at home;
            (B) information on home study techniques; and
            (C) access to school resources.
        (6) For a secondary school, a provision to do the following:
            (A) Offer courses that allow all students to become eligible to receive an academic honors diploma.
            (B) Encourage all students to earn an academic honors diploma or complete the Core 40 curriculum.
        (7) A provision to maintain a safe and disciplined learning environment for students and teachers that complies with the governing body's plan for improving student behavior and discipline developed under IC 20-26-5-32.
        (8) A provision for the coordination of technology initiatives and ongoing professional development activities.
    (b) If, for a purpose other than a plan under this chapter, a school has developed materials that are substantially similar to a component listed in subsection (a), the school may substitute those materials for the component listed in subsection (a).
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.66-2009, SEC.2.

IC 20-31-5-7
Availability of plans
    
Sec. 7. The department shall act as a clearinghouse for plans and shall make effective plans available to school corporations as models to use in developing and carrying out plans.
As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.15.