Project Activities
Research question
- Did the first CSI schools identified under ESSA reflect the new law's objectives? How did the number and types of schools identified under ESSA compare to the schools identified for intensive supports just prior to ESSA, and was change most apparent for states that did not have a flexibility waiver before ESSA?
- Once identified, are states and districts targeting supports to CSI schools, with sufficient intensity, individualization, and focus on evidence-based interventions as intended by ESSA?
- Were similar number and types of schools identified just after the post-pandemic accountability restart compared to the first set of schools identified under ESSA? Did schools that exited CSI status show improvement in performance outcomes, as the law intends?
Structured Abstract
Design
This descriptive study examines the characteristics of CSI schools identified under ESSA. The study first looked at schools identified during school year 2018–19, comparing them to schools identified for intensive supports during 2016–17 before ESSA was phased in. For 2016–17, a distinction was made between schools operating in states with and without No Child Left Behind flexibility waivers. The study will then look at schools identified in school year 2022-23, comparing them to schools identified when ESSA was first implemented and examining if schools that exited CSI status had improved student achievement or other academic outcomes. In addition, the study is using school survey data collected in Spring 2022, through a separate IES study of the implementation of the Title I and Title II programs, to provide a nationwide description of supports for CSI schools and the extent to which these vary when compared to supports for non-identified schools.
Key findings
Comparing the set of schools identified just before (2016–17) and just after (2018–19) ESSA's implementation, the first report found:
- Consistent with ESSA's intent to better focus improvement efforts on the lowest performing schools, a smaller set of schools was identified following ESSA implementation.
- At the same time, more alternative, small, and charter schools were identified, which may have resulted from ESSA's goal to broaden the range of schools eligible for identification.
- While ESSA's changes did not decrease the identification of schools with the lowest test scores, it may have reduced the focus on schools with high concentrations of historically underserved students.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
A report titled "Identifying the Nation's Lowest Performing Schools: Shifts Following the Passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)" was released in October 2024.
A second report, describing state and district supports for CSI schools, is expected in 2025. A third report, describing the characteristics of CSI schools identified after the post-pandemic accountability restart, is expected in 2026. Both reports will be announced on https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
