In Indiana, we believe every student in our state deserves access to meaningful learning opportunities supported by committed and capable educators. Our accountability system provides a framework through which we holistically evaluate progress toward that goal—one grounded in continuous improvement and aligned with key Indiana priorities. The state is committed to ensuring all students achieve strong foundational literacy skills, have access to high-quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) instruction, and successfully complete a chosen Graduation Pathway that prepares them for college and career readiness. This integrated approach helps us assess and drive continuous improvement across all educational outcomes.
Indiana School Improvement Continuum
Providing all students with the best opportunities to succeed academically requires a constant focus on improvement. This is done through needs assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Indiana has created the school improvement continuum to create transparency and predictability in the school intervention process. The purpose of the framework is to differentiate between schools in the lowest performance category and help strategically align interventions that have the highest likelihood of success to the Office of School Support and Transformation’s (OSST) principles of change.
- OSST Vision
To drive systemic excellence in Indiana’s Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) schools by equipping local leaders to solve critical challenges and build innovative, high-performing educational systems.
- OSST Mission
In support of Indiana’s commitment to lifelong student success, we empower school leaders to drive systemic transformation through data-informed decisions and high-impact interventions that equalize opportunity, bolster academic achievement, and galvanize community advocacy.
- OSST Theory of Action
The primary goal of OSST is to provide a school improvement continuum for our CSI schools and to improve outcomes for all students. To accomplish this mission, OSST is committed to achieving the following objectives:
- Collaborate with OSST schools and districts using best practices and highly customized supports.
- Design, deploy, and implement a system for disbursing and evaluating the use of federal funds that support OSST schools and districts.
- Provide targeted guidance and expert support to help CSI schools navigate the volume of data and potential root causes, translating analysis into a manageable, prioritized, evidence-based improvement plan.
- Develop and implement methods, tools, and mechanisms for determining district and school-level readiness for implementation of evidence-based practices and research-based policies.
- Design, deploy, and implement executive leadership coaching that builds capacity for OSST schools and districts.
- Ensure transparent and appropriate communication and consultation with families.
- Recognize and prioritize the local beliefs, values, and behaviors of OSST schools and districts.
- Support the exploration of expanding stakeholder engagement opportunities throughout the wider community to enrich educational experiences and student outcomes.
OSST is taking a multifaceted, tiered approach to school improvement, beginning with general support. OSST believes that all schools are in a continuous state of improvement, beginning with general support, which includes providing transparency and public reporting of key performance and improvement indicators, identifying when and where desired results are not being achieved, and prioritizing and allocating resources and support services, increasing oversight and engagement, and elevating accountability.