Education Solutions for Students, Schools and Communities:

A Statewide System of Support for “Every Student Succeeds Act”

Implementation

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About PAIUPennsylvania’s intermediate unitsare working collaboratively to meetthe needs of the state and ourschools. The PennsylvaniaAssociation of Intermediate Units(PAIU) works to ensure thestrength of individual intermediateunits, and to strengthen the systemof intermediate units so thatstudents and schools everywhere in Pennsylvania benefit from the capacity and expertise ofintermediate units. PAIU workswith policymakers in the GeneralAssembly, the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Education and otherstate agencies to support students,schools and communitiesthroughout the Commonwealth.

Every year, more than 175,000students and 75,000 educators andadults receive services from one ofPennsylvania’s twenty-nineintermediate units (IUs). As public,regional educational service agencies,IUs provide educational, administrative,and technology services to theCommonwealth’s 500 school districts,120 charter schools and 2,400 non-public schools.

Created in 1971 by the PennsylvaniaGeneral Assembly, IUs were designedto serve as a liaison between localschools and the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Education. Over thepast four decades, these regionaleducational service agencies haveadapted to server a broader array ofneeds focusing on the uniquecharacteristics of their communities.In doing so, IUs have demonstrated anincredibly entrepreneurial, highly-skilled, and technology-rich approachto educating Pennsylvania’s students.

PENNSYLVANIA’S INTERMEDIATE UNITS

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The recently enacted federal Every Student SucceedsAct (ESSA) was signed into law on December 10,2015, thereby reauthorizing the 50-year-oldElementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA),the Nation’s national education law and longstandingcommitment to equal opportunity for all students.

ESSA creates a fundamental shift in the focus andcontrol of public education systems by empoweringstates, districts and schools to drive local engagementand decision-making to improve educationaloutcomes for all students in all schools.

ESSA offers the opportunity for Pennsylvania todevelop a state plan that can boldly address some of

our greatest educational challenges:struggling districts and schools, under-performing student subgroups, data andtechnology infrastructure, communityengagement, and more.

A well-conceived state plan alone will notmove the needle on these challenges. Weneed to commit to having a structure inplace that has the capacity to support onedistrict, school and community at a time.

Pennsylvania Intermediate Units areprepared to contribute in a major way to the capacity.

Pennsylvania ESSA Implementation

Today’s economy rewards innova-tion, and Midwestern IntermediateUnit IV is engaged in a multi-faceted partnership to equip students with the skills needed tosucceed. The EntrepreneurshipAcademy blends 21st Century skillswith hands-on experiences for localstudents who learn to infuse theirwork with critical thinking, problemsolving, collaboration, adaptability,

entrepreneurship, communication,curiosity, and imagination.

Under the academy, 25 seniorsfrom the seven pilot school districts receive four half-days ofinstruction a week at the eCenter.Students who complete the program receive credit towardhigh school graduation and up to nine college credits.

MIDWESTERN IU 4:

PREPARING FUTURE ENTREPRENEURS FOR SUCCESS

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The good news is thatPennsylvania already has asystematic structure for deliveringsupport locally that can be usedwhen the Commonwealth isready to implement its ESSAstate plan.

A collaborative partnershipbetween IUs and PDE, thissupport has come to be known asthe “Statewide System ofSupport.”

Annually, PDE identifies throughStatements of Work priorityinitiatives for which they needIUs to support school districtsand charter schools. The natureof the work ranges from thedevelopment and implementationof training and technicalassistance, to onsite support forschool improvement orprofessional developmentactivities, communicationcoordination, engagement ofschools and districts in pilotprograms, and more.

The PDE initiatives haveincluded focus schools andpriority schools (includingcharter schools) support, schoolimprovement plan developmentand implementation, new teacherand principal evaluation systemtraining, Pennsylvania academicstandards training and technicalassistance, safe schools andschool climate supports, dataquality and reporting training andtechnical assistance.

Once PDE identifies what work theywould like from intermediate units,IUs then collaborate on thedevelopment of a plan for how thatwork will be accomplished.

Over the past five years, IUs haveworked in nine regions of IUs toconsider how they can efficientlyand effectively support schoolsregardless of IU boundaries. IUs areaccountable to PDE for alldeliverables, and provide detailedquarterly reports on work that hasbeen accomplished.

Pennsylvania’s Statewide System of Support

Examples of IU efforts in theStatewide System of Support in just one year:

• 22,000 educators trained onStudent Learning Objectives, akey component of Pennsylvania’s new teacher evaluation system;

• 2,000 Administrators trained onthe new Principal evaluationsystem;

• 3,500 school leaders supported onsafe schools initiatives;

• 5,300 school staff trained on dataquality systems and reporting;

• 11,500 educators trained onaligning local curriculum withPennsylvania’s academicstandards; and,

• 11,000 educators trained on theuse of school improvement toolsincluding the use of data toinform instruction of students.

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As technology transforms American life, thepower of one brand is evident in the millionsof Apple iPads, iPhones, and computers inbusinesses, homes, and hands. In coming years,demand will soar for people skilled in servicingall those devices and using Apple software.

Delaware County IU 25 is preparing studentsfor those opportunities, by partnering withApple to offer every certification program the

technology giant delivers. It’s a rare opportunity afforded to few secondarystudents nationwide – the chance toearn a valuable Apple certification before high school graduation.

“We’re always looking for ways to expand whatever opportunities studentscan take advantage of while they’re stillin high school.”

DELAWARE COUNTY IU 25:

PARTNERSHIP OPENS DOORS TO CAREERS IN APPLE SERVICING AND SOFTWARE

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Below are the components that are likely to be part ofPennsylvania’s state ESSA planand where intermediate units are prepared with the capacity to support our schools and communities.

District/School Improvement Planning: IUs have significant expertise and experience assistingschools and districts withimprovement planning. We have a long history of usingPDE’s comprehensive planningprocess and other tools to identifyimprovement opportunities anddevelop meaningful strategies.

Teacher/Leader Professional Development: IUs have long playeda role in providing teacher andleader professional development.We understand how to delivereffective professional developmentthat is job embedded, sustained and impactful.

Design and Implementation of Intervention Strategies for the 5%Lowest Performing Schools: IUshave assisted schools and districtsin supporting turnaround efforts.We have high-quality leaders andthe experience to make adifference in this area.

District/School Data Analysis and Useto Drive Improvement: We recognizethat many of our districts simply donot have the capacity to analyzedata. We have the capacity tosupport this activity in a significantand systematic way.

Stakeholder Engagement: We regularly help both PDE and our districts with stakeholder engagement strategies. Because ofour presence in every corner of thestate we can be an efficientmechanism for gathering input andfeedback, and sharing information.

A State System of Support for Successful ESSA Implementation

While the details ofPennsylvania’s ESSA plan are still in development, themajor challenges thatwill be addressed andfor which supportcapacity will beessential are clear.Policymakers whohave responsibility forESSA implementationshould to take intoaccount the need for a robust statewidesystem of support.

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Whether they are preparing for emergencies or dealing with everydayhazards, administrators, teachers, andstaff require intensive training to assure the ongoing safety of the children in their care. To respond to the full spectrum of school safetyneeds, the Berks County Intermedi-ate Unit (BCIU), along withSafeSchools®, offers Pennsylvaniaschool districts and IUs an affordable,sustainable solution.

Special Student Populations – Students with Disabilities, EnglishLanguage Learners, and Low Performing Students: IUs have along track record of providingspecialized services and supportsto schools and districts thataddress the needs of specialpopulations. We already havesignificant assets in place to do this work.

Online Assessment: IUs havealready made the investment toprovide the Commonwealth withthe technology infrastructure to

enhance the experience andsecurity of online assessments.Because of that, Pennsylvania iswell-positioned to accomplishwhat has become a consensusgoal: fewer and shorterassessments, but that producemeaningful data our teachers canuse to improve instruction andraise student achievement.

Conclusion

Pennsylvania’s IUs have a longhistory of providing valuable andneeded support to districts andschools throughout the state.

The solution offers mandated training to comply with state laws,including Act 126, Child AbuseRecognition and Reporting Train-ing, and Act 71, Youth SuicideAwareness and Prevention Training.It also gives school administratorsaccess to professional developmentexpertise on a wide range of topicsthat aren’t mandated but are criticalto assuring that schools are safeplaces for students.

BERKS COUNTY IU 14:VERSATILE, SCHOOL-FOCUSED SAFETY TRAINING

They are trusted partners,and their reputation andexpertise are well-regarded.

As Pennsylvania enters aperiod where it has moreflexibility to chart acourse to significantlyimproving studentoutcomes, IUs areprepared to engage asstrong partners and toleverage their capabilityto accomplish thisimportant work.

INTERMEDIATE UNIT 1www.iu1.org

PITTSBURGH-MOUNT OLIVER IU 2www.pmoiu2.k12.pa.us

ALLEGHENY IU 3www.aiu3.net

MIDWESTERN IU 4www.miu4.org

NORTHWEST TRI-COUNTY IU 5www.iu5.org

RIVERVIEW IU 6www.riu6.org

WESTMORELAND IU 7http://wiu.k12.pa.us

APPALACHIA IU 8www.iu08.org

SENECA HIGHLANDS IU 9www.iu9.orgCENTRAL IU 10www.ciu10.org

TUSCARORA IU 11www.tiu11.org

LINCOLN IU 12www.iu12.org

LANCASTER-LEBANON IU 13www.iu13.org

BERKS COUNTY IU 14www.berksiu.org

CAPITAL AREA IU 15www.caiu.org

CENTRALSUSQUEHANNA IU 16www.csiu.org

BlaST IU 17www.iu17.org

LUZERNE IU 18www.liu18.org

NORTHEASTERN EDUCATIONAL IU 19www.neiu.orgCOLONIAL IU 20www.ciu20.org

CARBON-LEHIGH IU 21www.cliu.org

BUCKS COUNTY IU 22www.bucksiu.org

MONTGOMERY COUNTY IU 23www.mciu.org

CHESTER COUNTY IU 24www.cciu.org

DELAWARE COUNTY IU 25www.dciu.org

SCHOOL DISTRICT OFPHILADELPHIA, IU 26www.philasd.org

BEAVER VALLEY IU 27www.bviu.org

ARIN IU 28www.iu28.org

SCHUYLKILL IU 29www.iu29.org

INTERMEDIATE

UNITS

PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION OFINTERMEDIATE UNITS55 Miller Street, enola, Pa

(717) 732-8400 ext. 8588

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