Each year, schools and districts review policies and practices to consider ways to improve and enhance student achievement. This process, commonly referred to as the school improvement process, is deeply embedded in building, district and state planning and accountability systems, and has become an integral and necessary part of school and system reform. While this type of planning has existed for many years, recent state and federal mandates including annual testing directives and increased accountability have intensified the importance of this process and its outcomes.
Since the passage of Public Act 25 in 1990, Michigan schools and districts have been required to develop 3-5 year school improvement plans. Schools and districts use these plans as a blueprint to establish goals and objectives that will guide teaching for learning, resource allocation, staff development, data management and assessment. They also use it to measure their ability to meet the goals and objectives established in the plan.
