1. Texas Accountability Intervention System (TAIS)
Facilitator Talking Points:
The Texas Accountability Intervention System is a research based approached to school improvement that engages the district and school in the improvement process. The framework outlines five systemic components regarding district-level commitments, four support system components to be implemented at both the district and campus levels, and seven factors known to be critical to campus success. Planning for continuous improvement through the lens of these District Commitments, Support Systems, and Critical Success Factors will result in the outcomes of accelerated achievement, sustainability, and system transformation.
The Framework for district and school support was developed collaboratively between TEA and TCDSS. Local ESCs continue to develop tools and support for districts and campuses that align with the framework that drives continuous improvement.
All of these elements are part of a healthy system for improvement. It takes each part of the system operating together for school success.
I have a short video to share with you that gives an overview of this framework.

2. TAIS Overview Video https://region13.wistia.com/medias/o7tg4csyab
Facilitator Talking Points:
After the video - Let’s take a moment to look at the TAIS framework a little more closely.
Facilitation Notes:
Click link to play video

3. 5 District Commitments Facilitator Talking Points:
Here is a review of the elements of the framework.
The commitments of the district are essential for the success and sustainable improvement at each campus
This red ring of the framework represents the philosophy or mindset of the district in its role for improvement.
Components of the District Commitments are Operational Flexibility, Clear Vision and Focus, Sense of Urgency, High Expectations, and District-wide Ownership and Accountability.

4. 4 Support Systems Facilitator Talking Points:
Inside the District Commitments are the support systems. The support systems are the evidence of the district commitments.
If you consider the District Commitments as “how” the district functions, you could view the components of the blue Support Systems ring as “what” provides structure to the improvement process.
Components here are Organizational Structure, Processes and Procedures, Communications, and Capacity and Resources.

5. Critical Success Factors7
Critical Success Factors
Facilitator Talking Points:
Within the support systems are the critical success factors. The concept is to define tangible, achievable, and measurable CSFs around which decisions are made.
Projects are then defined and managed based on the Critical Success Factors. The CSFs serve as key focus areas for improvement at the school level.
The CSFs are grounded in evidence based research and have been found to be key elements for campus and cross-district improvement efforts.

6. JIGSAW Activity Facilitator Talking Points:
We are going to familiarize ourselves with the foundational knowledge of each ring of the framework (District Commitments, Support Systems, and the Critical Success Factors) through a jig-saw activity with your table team.
Activity Steps:
Step 1: Starting with district commitments, assign one commitment per person to read through its description in the TAIS brochure (due to numbers, more than one person may be assigned to a given commitment, system, or CSF)
Step 2: Each person quietly read through the description of that district commitment.
Step 3: Once each person has read through their description, have each person begin to share out what they have learned about that commitment.
Step 4. After the person has shared about a district commitment, have the table consider the following questions that are posted on next slide.
What does this commitment look like in practice?
How does our district already support/practice these commitments?
Is this district a commitment a strength or weakness?
Repeat these steps for Support System
Facilitation Notes:
Explain each of the Activity Steps below.
Once you have explained the steps, then click through to the next slide so that the discussion questions are displayed during the activity time.
Total Activity Time min.
Handout: TAIS Brochure

7. JIGSAW Questions What does this __________ look like in practice?
How does our campus/district currently support these ____________?
Is this a strength or weakness for our campus/district?
Facilitation Notes:
Have this slide displayed as teams are working through this activity to help facilitate the conversation portion.

8. Facilitator Talking Points:
At the heart of the framework lies the Continuous Improvement Process.
There are numerous tools and resources available to assist your improvement efforts through TCDSS or your local ESC. One resource we will be using throughout today’s training is TAISresources.net. This website is defined to give the user a comprehensive look at each of the components of the continuous improvement process as well as share what expert speakers and practitioners have to say about data analysis, needs assessment, improvement planning, and implement and monitor. Built in throughout the resource are questions to guide discussions and activities to enhance team thinking around the continuous improvement process.
Facilitation Notes:
Show participants the website

9. Facilitator Talking Points:
With District Commitments and Support Systems in place and continuous improvement efforts focused on the Critical Success Factors, the outcomes of Accelerated Achievement, System Transformation, and Sustainability can be realized.
Throughout this school year and with the help and support of your team, PSP, TEA/TCDSS support specialist and ESC, you will develop a deeper understanding of how integrating the TAIS framework into your practice impacts your school improvement efforts.
This framework is not a static symbol of interventions and actions. The work of the TAIS framework is robust and has a variety of cross connections.

10. ALIGNING THE RINGS Facilitator Talking Points:
Let’s explore the framework together. Using the TAIS framework handout – Work with your group to align the components found within the rings of the framework.

11. Critical Success Factors look like in action when aligned to the
Discuss what the
Critical Success Factors look like in action when aligned to the
Support Systems.
Facilitator Talking Points:
We discussed that nested within the support systems and district commitments are the critical success factors.
The concept is to use the CSFs as a lens in which to look through as we identify opportunities for refining current and future practices. By aligning the district commitments and support systems to each of the critical success factors, we create the opportunity to closely examine how we approach our work.
In addition to looking at our current way of doing business we also open up the opportunity to see new ways of approaching the work.
The CSFs serve as key focus areas for improving and re-evaluating our commitments, systems, and campus level work.
Facilitation Notes:
Alert teams to the handout and wheels

12. DIRECTIONS
Align a critical success factor with a support system (for example, School Climate aligned with Communications)
Discuss what considerations a campus might take into account when aligning the Critical Success Factor with the Support System?
Facilitator Talking Points:
Let’s try it together. First we will walk through an example.
Looking through the lens of Critical Success Factors and Support Systems:
Align a critical success factor with a support system (for example, School Climate aligned with Communications)
Discuss what considerations a campus might take into account when aligning the Critical Success Factor with the Support System?
Facilitation Notes:
These directions are the lead into the next activity.

13. Facilitator Talking Points:
Across the top of the handout, you will see the support systems found in the TAIS framework.
Across the side of the handout, you will see each of the CSFs.
Each of the CSFs is nested within each of the 4 Support Systems. Each of which contains processes and procedures that operationalize the CSFs.
Facilitation Notes:
Handouts: (1) CSF and Support Systems Chart and (2) TAIS Wheels

14. PROCESSES & PROCEDURES
Facilitator Talking Points:
In our example, we align school climate and communications .
If school climate is a critical element to the success of the campus system, and communications is a necessary support system to operationalize school climate then what are the necessary communication processes and procedures that ensure the campus has a healthy climate?
How might we improve our communication processes and procedures to improve the climate of our school?
In this example, let’s pretend that out campus has a problem with behavior. What communication processes and procedures must we analyze and improve to address the behavior problem that is plaguing our climate?:
Let’s do another example together….
Facilitator Note:
Slide is animated to go with description

15. Facilitator Talking Points:
Explain example: When we align academic performance with capacity and resources we could ask ourselves a number of questions:
How could we identify academic needs to ensure we have the capacity and resources to support those identified needs?
How might our academic performance be enhanced by adjusting our processes and procedures for building capacity in the areas of curriculum and instruction?
How might we improve our processes and procedures for allocating resources to the areas of curriculum and instruction?
So in this example, we may want to ensure our trainings are focused on the academic goals of the campus.
We have shared a couple of examples, now it’s your turn…..
Facilitator Note:
Give campus teams about 10 minutes to operationalize their TAIS Framework and make connections across the rings based on their own campus needs and thinking.
Refer back to directions slide if needed.

16. DIRECTIONS
Discuss how to use this activity to help stakeholders better understand the TAIS framework.
Facilitator Talking Points:
The district commitments aligned with the support systems create a lens to look at and evaluate our current work.
This alignment can also serve as an awareness about our current state and where we would like to be.
Consider how you may use this activity with various stakeholders across your district/campus to help better understand the work.
Facilitation Notes:
Team talk time: consider 3 min.

17. taisresources.net
Facilitator Talking Points:
Throughout the remainder of the training we will use video from to provide tips for engaging in the TAIS continuous improvement process.
In this first video. Dr. Laura Lipton highlights the importance of cultures that value inquiry and are willing to engage in an objective and honest conversation about the problems that are occurring on the campus.
Facilitation Notes:
Have taisresources.net up and walk the group through how to get to videos on the website.
Show them where to locate extended learning guides on the website for each video.

18. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Facilitation Notes:
After watching the video, ask the participants to share the keys points made regarding the importance of cultures of inquiry and honest dialogue.
Before moving forward, inform the participants that includes extended learning guides along with the videos that would allow the participants to return to their campus and immediately lead a professional development session on a number of topics related to the TAIS framework.

19. “If you don’t know how to ask the right question, you discover nothing
W. Edward Deming
Facilitator Talking Points:
Provide the participants time to read this quote.
Then inform them that as we move through each section, especially data analysis and needs assessment, to remember the underlying message in this quote.
Think about what this quote means to each step in the continuous improvement process.

20. Continuous Improvement Process
Targeted Improvement
Plan
Facilitator Talking Points:
The remainder of this presentation is developed to provide skills that you can use once you return to your campus to guide your Campus Leadership Team through the process of reflecting on what led to your IR designation and other problem areas, identifying the root causes of the identified problem areas, which will enable you to develop a targeted improvement plan.
The entry point for the TAIS continuous improvement process is data analysis.
Although the process we are guiding you through today will help you develop a plan for the year, it’s important to understand that the continuous improvement process should take place on your campus daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly.
For example, a good teacher analyzes formative assessments daily, identifies the roots causes that led to individual students failing to grasp the concepts taught, develops a plan for how to re-teach the lesson in subsequent days, implements the plan, and uses data to monitor the effectiveness of the plan, and then starts the process again.
Facilitation Notes:
TEC (a)….Requires that a targeted improvement plan be developed, approved and submitted that addresses the areas of low performance. This should be covered in your data analysis and a problem statement developed for each area of low performance.