School Improvement Planning and NCStar

A School Improvement Plan is more than a document; it is a living, breathing blueprint for enhancing student achievement. By fostering collaboration among educators, students, families, and community members, School Improvement Planning empowers schools to identify strengths, address challenges, and set ambitious goals. It’s a cyclical process of data analysis, goal setting, implementation, and evaluation that drives continuous improvement. In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, School Improvement Planning is essential for ensuring that all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

NCStar is a comprehensive web-based platform designed to guide and support districts and schools in their continuous improvement journey. By fostering a culture of open dialogue and shared responsibility, NCStar empowers School Improvement Teams to develop and implement school-centric improvement plans. This tool offers a structured approach to tracking progress, holding schools accountable, and promoting transparency. Built on the foundation that effective improvement originates at the school level, NCStar provides access to a wealth of research-based practices while allowing for tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of each school community. Through real-time data sharing, NCStar ensures that all stakeholders – from teachers and administrators to parents and board members – are actively engaged in the improvement process.

For more information, please contact your NCDPI Comprehensive Support Specialist.

Suzanne Owen (suzanne.owen@dpi.nc.gov)

Suzanne will be supporting the Sandhills, North Central, Southwest and Piedmont-Triad Regions.

Natalie Sasser (natalie.sasser@dpi.nc.gov)

Natalie will be supporting the Southeast, Northeast, Northwest and Western Regions.

Tab/Accordion Items

This registration is for the original NCStar Platform. If your school has adopted the new NCStar SBE Strategic Goals Plan Platform, please contact your School Improvement District Representative for training and registration information.

Fall 2024 NCStar Registration 

North Carolina Schools are required to submit a School Improvement Plan (SIP) to the local board of education for review and approval is required by state regulations, Article 8B School Based Management & Accountability Program; to improve student performance.

In planning for the School improvement plan development, please consider the following North Carolina regulations under §115C-105.27 of School Based Management & Accountability Program:

  1. School staff and parent representatives shall constitute a school improvement team and the team shall be elected by their respective groups by secret ballot.
  2. Parents shall be elected by parents of children enrolled in the school in an election by either the parent/teacher organization or the largest organization of parents formed specifically for the election.
  3. Parents serving on school improvement teams shall reflect the racial and socioeconomic composition of the students enrolled in the school and shall NOT be members of the building-level staff.
  4. Team meetings shall be held at convenient times to assure substantial parent participation.
  5. The names of the members of the School Improvement Team, their positions, and the date of their election to the School Improvement Team shall also be posted on the website.  
  6. All school improvement plans shall be, to the greatest extent possible, data-driven.
  7. School Improvement Plans shall contain clear, unambiguous targets, explicit Indicators and actual measures, and expeditious time frames for meeting the measurement standards. 
  8. Shall include a duty-free lunch period for every teacher on a daily basis or as otherwise approved by the School Improvement Team. 
  9. The principal shall submit a plan to the local board of education only if the proposed school improvement plan has the approval of a majority of the staff who voted on the plan.
  10. A School Improvment Plan shall remain in effect for no more than two years; however, the School Improvement Team may amend the Plan as often as is necessary or appropriate. 

School Improvement Planning Implementation Guide:  
(Last updated August 2023)

The guide offers a one-stop-shop for guidance on conducting school improvement planning. Sections include a legal overview, best-practices-based guiding principles, and a step-by-step process for planning. Several appendices are provided to offer additional details in areas where school improvement teams may wish for more information.

Personalized Education Plans (PEP) Update:

On June 2, 2015, the General Assembly enacted Session Law 2015-46, An Act to Repeal Personal Education Plans and Modify Transition Plans. S.L. 2015-46 modified G.S. 115C-105.41, 115C-83.7(c), and 115C-83.9(a).

There have been questions regarding these changes and implications for Personalized Education Plans (PEP). An explanation of the changes made by this law and options on how schools can continue to support students at risk of academic failure are provided in the PDF below. Due to these changes in the law, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) will provide guidance through the lens of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).

Support Options:

SIP Statute Guidance Documents:

NCSTAR SBE Strategic Goals Plan

Checklist of Best Practices:

Planning and Working Templates:

Recent Presentations:

Indicator Documents:

Research Documents:

Exemplars:

Rubrics:

WiseWays:

EVAAS Resources:

Needs Assessment: