GaDOE releases Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI) list

The Georgia Department of Education today released the 2024-2025 list of schools identified for Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI), as required by federal law.

Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states are required to identify schools in need of additional support – in Georgia, these designations are referred to as Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI).

Georgia has an updated process to identify CSI and TSI schools based on an amendment to its state ESSA plan approved by the U.S. Department of Education in 2023. Under the updated process, CSI schools are identified every three years. Because CSI schools were identified in 2024, only TSI schools are being identified in 2025.

This year, 74 schools were identified for Targeted Support & Improvement. TSI schools are those with one or more consistently underperforming subgroups.

“The identification of Targeted Support & Improvement Schools allows us to ensure we’re working with school districts to provide resources and support where they are needed,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “Our Office of School & District Improvement has had demonstrable success helping identified schools improve as we work together to provide the best possible education to every student. We look forward to working in partnership with these districts and schools on behalf of the children we all serve.”

Schools Making Progress 

Last week, GaDOE recognized schools with exceptional achievement and progress, including CSI schools that made progress over the last year along with former CSI – graduation rate schools and TSI schools that exited support identification.

This year, 52 CSI schools were identified under GaDOE’s new CSI Progress designation. To be recognized, CSI schools had to show a 5% increase in the CCRPI Content Mastery component score from 2023 to 2024 and have a score of 80 or higher on one of the other components (Progress, Closing Gaps, or Readiness).

Overall, 90% of all CSI schools served by GaDOE’s Office of School and District Improvement made gains on the Content Mastery component of the CCRPI.

While the CSI criteria is now run every three years, schools identified for low graduation rate can exit the list once their graduation rate exceeds 67%. Five schools exited CSI identification based on their 2024 graduation rates:

• • Clarkston High School (DeKalb County School District)
  • McNair High School (DeKalb County School District)
  • Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence (Fulton County School System)
  • Lanier College and Career Academy (Hall County School
  • Georgia Cyber Academy (State Charter School)

Additionally, three schools made the necessary improvements to exit TSI status:

• • Carver High School Early College (Atlanta Public Schools)
  • West Hall High School (Hall County)
  • Laney High School (Richmond County)

How Schools Are Served

The Georgia Department of Education’s Office of School Improvement works directly with CSI schools and provides assistance to help them improve the educational outcomes of their students. Federal requirements mean school districts are charged with providing supports to TSI schools, while the state provides professional learning and targeted technical assistance.