Principals submit school improvement plans

Published 6:40 pm Saturday, December 13, 2014

The Selma City School System is in the process of bettering itself.

The district’s principals presented their proposed improvement plans to the Selma City School Board Tuesday during its latest work session, and the board approved those Thursday.

School improvement plans are required every year, but it’s up to local school districts to determine if they should be presented before the board for approval.

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“It used to be the law that you had to, especially if you had a school that did not make [Adequate Yearly Progress],” said acting Selma City Schools superintendent Larry DiChiara. “Since that’s no longer in effect, we’ve chosen to bring them back to be approved by the board because it’s just good information and, again, an example of transparency.”

Each school has a School Improvement Committee made up of stakeholders, and they are responsible for establishing issues that need to be addressed within the upcoming year.

Principals of each school presented those problem areas to the board Tuesday along with a list of solutions.

The most common suggestions mentioned were to upgrade technological equipment, encourage more parental involvement and increase reading comprehension.

The schools are directed to use their Title I funds to make the enhancements.

The plans must be sent to the federal programs director, who will then submit them to the Alabama State Department of Education.