In Texas, the Strategic Support Plan (SSP) is a crucial tool designed to help local education agencies (LEAs) address achievement gaps and ensure compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Division of Review and Support facilitates this process by offering a balanced approach to general supervision, aligned with the Results Driven Accountability (RDA) Framework.
Each year, LEAs receive RDA determinations that help guide their continuous improvement efforts. Based on these determinations, LEAs may be required to engage in the SSP process to address areas of noncompliance and improve student outcomes.
What is the Strategic Support Plan (SSP)?
The SSP is designed to help LEAs prioritize RDA indicators that contribute to low performance. It is not a substitute for the Effective Schools Framework (ESF) or any targeted improvement plans required by the ESF process. Instead, the SSP complements these frameworks by focusing on specific areas of growth related to RDA performance indicators.
When implemented effectively, the SSP assists LEAs in identifying district goals and addressing root causes of low performance. This annual tool is part of the continuous improvement process, helping LEAs prioritize essential program elements, set timelines, establish milestones, define metrics, and assign task owners.
The Eight Steps of the SSP Process
Developing an SSP involves eight key steps:
- Review Sources of Data: Collect and analyze data to understand current performance levels.
- Identify Priority Areas: Determine which RDA indicators need the most attention.
- Develop Problem Statement(s): Clearly articulate the issues contributing to low performance.
- Conduct Root Cause Analysis: Identify the underlying causes of the problems.
- Define Annual Goal(s): Set specific, measurable goals for improvement.
- Develop Strategies for Implementation: Plan actionable steps to achieve the goals.
- Define Implementation Activities: Outline the activities needed to execute the strategies.
- Monitor and Report Progress: Regularly track and report on the progress made.
Submitting the SSP
LEAs required to engage in the continuous improvement process based on their RDA determinations should submit their SSPs to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) through the Ascend Texas application. While LEAs will retain the information used during analysis, they only need to submit it to the TEA if requested. The Support Plan feature in Ascend Texas helps LEAs develop their SSPs to meet continuous improvement requirements.
For more information, please follow this link.
