Information provided by Hollister School District. Lea este articulo en español aquí.
The Hollister School District announces that four schools no longer have targeted support designations from the state due to significant progress with student outcomes, while another site also now has an improved label attached to it after taking steps forward.
R.O. Hardin Elementary School, Rancho San Justo Middle School, Sunnyslope Elementary School and Calaveras School all exited the state’s designation for “Additional Targeted Support & Improvement” (ATSI) programming in 2023-24. The ATSI label means a school “must collaborate with educational partners to develop and implement a school-level plan to improve student outcomes,” according to the California Department of Education.
ATSI is part of the state’s multi-tiered system of support, while schools designated for “Comprehensive Support & Intervention” (CSI) mandates are deemed to need an even higher level of attention than ATSI. CSI designations come with additional state funding to a school of about $200,000 annually, but districts must address ATSI sites without additional dollars.
The ATSI designation essentially acts as a warning of sorts before a site is placed in CSI status.
Rancho San Justo Middle School in 2023-24 exited the CSI designation and is now an ATSI site, according to Dr. Colleen Myers, educational services director for the Hollister School District.
Schools go through the process of improvement science to exit the programs. Sites look at specific student populations and how the system as a whole can improve for better student outcomes. Two district schools, Ladd Lane Elementary School and the Accelerated Achievement Academy, have no status under the state MTSS.
One strategy implemented at the CSI and ATSI sites has been for school administrators to meet monthly at the district level to engage in improvement science practices. Such efforts, along with hard work by staff and students, have led to this progress.
It can be especially challenging for sites like Calaveras and R.O. Hardin to exit the designations because they have historically struggled due to demographics. Those schools and others face higher levels of students who are English language learners and socioeconomically disadvantaged. Some schools may be in ATSI for other reasons such as Cerra Vista for its population of students with disabilities.
Overall, four of five Community Schools decreased to or exited ATSI for the same reason, while Maze Middle School has remained in the designation for now.