Continuous School Improvement / OIP – State Support Team Region 1

Continuous School Improvement / OIPGuiding Documents, Policies & ComplianceOhio Improvement ProcessStrengthening Collaborative TeamsCommunity Partners & ResourcesContact Us

Continuous School Improvement / OIP

State Support Team 1 collaborates with schools, families, regional partners, and the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce through a continuous improvement process to ensure each child in Ohio has access to a high-quality education.

What We Do

Our consultants are educators with expertise in Ohio’s Improvement Process (OIP) who assist districts and schools in improving outcomes for each child with a focus on leadership, team development, and inclusive instructional practices.

We offer technical assistance, coaching, networking opportunities, and professional development for school administrators and educators.

Guiding Documents, Policies & Compliance

As a part of the Statewide System of Support, State Support Teams work closely with the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce to provide training, resources, and technical assistance to schools and districts as they strive to ensure that each child has access to a high-quality education. The documents, policies, and laws shared here provide the foundation to this work.

ED STEPS Comprehensive User Manual Feb 2024

Links:

Ohio Improvement Process

The Ohio Improvement Process (OIP) provides districts with a template for focused and intentional school improvement. Using collaborative team structures, the OIP facilitates communication and decision-making between and across all levels of the school system as you make strides toward organizational learning and continuous improvement.

Step 1: Identify Critical Needs

Identifying critical needs begins with collecting and analyzing data, which encourages impartial, nonjudgmental decision-making. With analysis of reliable data, teams can pinpoint the areas of greatest concern.

View ODE Step 1 resources

Download Step 1 team responsibilities

Step 2: Research and Select Evidence Based-Based Strategies

After identifying critical needs and root causes, teams research and select an evidence-based strategy that addresses the prioritized, critical needs.

View ODE Step 2 resources

Download Step 2 team responsibilities

Step 3: Plan for Implementation

Teams planning for implementation should focus on the critical needs identified during Steps 1 and 2. An effective plan includes:

• a limited number of SMART goals;
• evidence-based strategies;
• a progress-monitoring process for adult implementation indicators and student performance indicators; and
• action steps

View ODE Step 3 resources

Download Step 3 team responsibilities

Step 4: Implement and Monitor

Implementation: changes in adult behaviors and practices. Implementation is the main focus of the DLT, BLT, and TBTs.

Monitoring: collaborative learning through observing implementation of adult practices and their impact on student outcomes.

View ODE Step 4 resources

Download Step 4 team responsibilities

Step 5: Examine, Reflect, Adjust

During this step, teams ask themselves:

• Where did we start?
• Where are we now?
• Where do we go next?

Teams examine and reflect on:

• Goal Achievement: Was the intended outcome reached?
• Implementation: Were strategies implemented as designed?
• Communication: Was information shared?

Teams adjust by identifying next steps.

View ODE Step 5 resources

Download Step 5 team responsibilities

Ohio Improvement Process information resource: Ohio Department of Education.

Strengthening Collaborative Teams

Continuous School Improvement is everyone’s responsibility, and The District Leadership Team (DLT), Building Leadership Team (BLT), and Teacher-Based Teams (TBTs) play crucial roles in each step the Ohio Improvement Process.

It is important that the individuals serving on the DLT, BLT, and TBTs understand the roles and responsibilities of their respective team and build a strong, collaborative working environment.

Team Roles

Team	Membership
District Leadership Team (DLT)	Stakeholders from across the district, schools, and community
Building Leadership Team (BLT)	Stakeholders from across the school
Teacher-Based Teams (TBT)	Stakeholders from across classrooms and content areas

Team Responsibilities

Shared Leadership

Effective leaders engage staff and teams at all building and district levels, empowering them to participate in the decision-making process, leading to shared ownership of goals and strategies, purposeful choices and resource management.

Communication & Engagement

Effective collaboration can only happen with clear and consistent two-way communication between all staff and stakeholders. This communication and feedback helps identify support needs, barriers to implementation, and successes as the teams implement evidence-based strategies.

Purposeful Decision-Making

Teams at all levels collect, monitor, analyze, and use adult and student data to monitor improvement goals and make informed decisions.

Resource Management

Teams direct resources such as people, program materials, time, and funds to support school and district goals.

All teams should assist in evaluating and aligning resources to district level plans to provide professional learning; including coaching, selecting, and onboarding staff.

Team Strengthening Resources

You may find the following resources useful in working with your teams:

Community Partners and Resources