The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Rules governing the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment & Accountability Program (ACTAAP) and the Rules for End-of-Course Assessments and Remediation specify requirements for the development and implementation of Academic Improvement Plans (AIPs), Intensive Reading Interventions (IRIs), and Individualized Academic Improvement Plans (IAIPs). This Commissioner’s Memo is intended to provide guidance on the monitoring of AIPs, IRIs, and IAIPs.
Beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, any school in any phase of School Improvement (Targeted, Targeted Intensive, Whole School, Whole School Intensive, State Directed), as designated under Smart Accountability, is required to use the Monitoring Academic Improvement System (MAIS) web-based system developed by NORMES to document student AIPs and IRIs as well as academic progress. Schools must utilize the AIP interactive form from MAIS to document academic progress and to monitor for pace of improvement. AIPs and IRIs shall continue to be developed and implemented by classroom teachers and school personnel in consultation with the student’s parents or guardians and remain in effect until the student reaches grade-level proficiency.
Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, schools will develop and implement IAIPs for students enrolled in Algebra I in grade 9 or below who did not meet the requisite pass cut score set by the State Board of Education on the high stakes Algebra I End-of-Course Examination. The IAIPs shall include research-based remediation activities and shall identify the student’s specific areas of deficiency on the high-stakes end-of-course assessment, the desired levels of performance necessary for the student to meet the satisfactory pass levels, and the instructional and support services to be provided to the student. Schools must provide the IAIPs in an electronic format of a type specified by the ADE and at a site specified by the ADE. More information regarding the format of the IAIP will be forthcoming. IAIPs shall be developed and implemented by classroom teachers and school personnel in consultation with the student’s parents or guardians. Moreover, schools shall frequently monitor student progress on the IAIP, which remain in effect until the student scores at or above the requisite pass cut score set by the State Board of Education on the high-stakes Algebra I End-of-Course Examination.
The ADE will monitor schools on an annual basis to ensure that AIPs, IRIs, and IAIPs are being developed, implemented, and regularly updated based on the individual student’s specific learning needs. The compliance monitoring will be conducted on-site, as well as through the NORMES site by ADE designated personnel. Arkansas Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (ACSIP) supervisors will be reviewing data prior to conducting monitoring to see which schools need assistance and to review supplemental educational services.