District Improvement Planning (DIP/LEA Plan) for Charter Districts 

District Improvement Planning (DIP/LEA Plan) for Charter Districts 

May 20, 2025 | Grants Management

Famous astronaut Buzz Aldrin once said, “Shoot for the moon; you might get there!” Space travel takes planning, and so does having really great schools! Having a well-designed DIP/LEA PLAN (aka LEA Plan per TEA) can help your organization have focus and reach its goals, but in some cases, it is also required by law. According to the federal law, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) guidelines, every LEA who receives Title I, Part A funds MUST have a DIP/LEA PLAN. Your draft DIP/LEA PLAN/LEA Plan must be in place for the 2025-2026 school year BEFORE you submit the 2024-2025 ESSA Grant application. TEA conducts random validations to ensure compliance. Do you feel like you need some guidance on how to get the DIP/LEA Plan done and in compliance?  If so, this Tip will provide you with helpful information, but CSS also encourages you to sign up for our DIP/LEA PLAN/LEA Plan online course. Click here to register now.

CSS offers excellent training and guidance in the process for developing Charter District Improvement Plans. Our staff experts have experience with TEA auditing expectations and more! 

Action Steps: 

  1. Identify the necessary people for the DIP/LEA PLAN development team (see #1 below). 
  2. Review the list of required components below. 
  3. Review the DIP/LEA PLAN/LEA Plan template included in this package. The template includes all required components based on our current understanding of the ESSA  guidelines. 
  4. Develop your charter DIP/LEA PLAN/LEA Plan WITH the assistance of all DIP/LEA PLAN team members. 
  5. Obtain Board approval of your DIP/LEA PLAN Goals and Performance Objectives (entire DIP/LEA PLAN does not have to be approved). 
  6. Once complete, send a copy to your CSS Federal Team representative (if a client) for review and post your DIP/LEA PLAN on your school website. 

According to the updated Title I Program Guide on the TEA website (Title I, Part A–Improving Basic Programs (texas.gov), the DIP/LEA Plan is a requirement: “Each LEA is required to develop and maintain locally an LEA Plan that addresses the requirements for the programs included in its ESSA Consolidated Federal Grant Application.” Pg 11. 

The Title I, Part A requirements that must be addressed in the LEA Plan are addressed in the Program Description section of this document. 

  • DIP/LEA PLAN was developed with timely and meaningful consultation with: 
    • Teachers, principals, other school leaders (must have day to day responsibilities for managing the campus), paraprofessionals, specialized instructional support personnel 
    • Charter school leaders (in an ISD that has partner charter schools) 
    • Administrators (including admins of programs described in other parts of this title) 
    • Parents of children in schools served under this part 
    • Members of the community

Note:  This will be documented by listing DIP/LEA PLAN team member by name, title, and role using same labels as TEA guidance (such as “parent”) in the DIP/LEA PLAN. In addition, each DIP/LEA PLAN planning meeting should have a sign in sheet, agenda and minutes

  • As appropriate, the DIP/LEA PLAN was coordinated with other programs under the ESSA law including IDEA B, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Carl Perkins CTE Act, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Head Start Act, McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, and other Acts as appropriate. 

Note: This will be documented in the strategies themselves and in the Resource column as appropriate. It is also documented by sign in sheet of representatives from these programs at the DIP/LEA PLAN planning meetings, if appropriate. 

  • The LEA shall periodically review and, as necessary, revise the DIP.  This must be done at least annually 

Note: This is typically done quarterly and is documented in evaluation column of the plan. It is also documented by sign in sheet of LEA leadership team at the review meetings, if appropriate. 

Title I, Part A LEA Plan 13 Descriptions 

To ensure that all children receive a high-quality education, and to close the achievement gap between children meeting the challenging State academic standards and those children who are not meeting such standards, the LEA plan SHALL include the following 13 descriptions: 
Description 1:  How the LEA will monitor students’ progress in meeting the challenging State academic standards by [Section 1112(b)(1)]— 
 
  • Developing and implementing a well-rounded program of instruction to meet the academic needs of all students; 
  • Identifying students who may be at risk for academic failure; 
  • Providing additional educational assistance to individual students the LEA or school determines need help in meeting the challenging State academic standards; and 
  •  Identifying and implementing instructional and other strategies intended to strengthen academic programs and improve school conditions for student learning. 
Description 2:  How the LEA will identify and address any disparities that result in low-income students and minority students being taught at higher rates than other students by ineffective, inexperienced, or out-of-field teachers 
Description 3:  How the LEA will carry out its School Support and Improvement activities responsibilities under Section 1111(d)(1) and (2) 

(only if LEA has a campus in school improvement) 
Description 4:  The poverty criteria that will be used to select school attendance areas under Section 1113 

(Not required if less than 1,000 students) 
Description 5:  The nature of the programs to be conducted under Schoolwide (Section 1114) and Targeted Assistance (Section 1115) programs and, where appropriate, educational services outside such schools for children living in local institutions for neglected or delinquent children, and for neglected and delinquent children in community day school programs 

Reference the 3 elements as well as how the LEA supports the TA or SW campus(es). 
Description 6:  The services the LEA will provide homeless children and youth to support the enrollment, attendance, and success of homeless children and youth in coordination with the services the LEA is providing under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. 
Description 7:  The strategy the LEA will use to implement effective parent and family engagement (PFE) under Section 1116. 

Also include LEA PFE Policy in plan 
Description 8:  If applicable, how the LEA will support, coordinate, and integrate services provided with Title I, Part A, with early childhood education programs at the LEA or individual school level, including plans for the transition of participants in such programs to local elementary school programs. 
Description 9:  How teachers and school leaders, in consultation with parents, administrators, paraprofessionals, and specialized instructional support personnel, in schools operating a Targeted Assistance program under Section 1115, will identify the eligible children most in need of services under Title I, Part A. 
Description 10:  How the LEA will implement strategies to facilitate effective transitions for students from middle grades to high school and from high school to postsecondary education including, if applicable [Section 1112(b)(10)] 
 
  • Coordination with institutions of higher education, employers, and other local partners; and 
  • Increased student access to early college high school or dual or concurrent enrollment opportunities, or career counseling to identify student interests and skills 
Description 11:  How the LEA will support efforts to reduce the overuse of discipline practice that remove students from the classroom, which may include identifying and supporting schools with high rates of discipline, disaggregated by each of the subgroups of students. 
Description 12:  If applicable, how the LEA will support programs that coordinate and integrate [Section 1112(b)(12)] (example provided) 
 
  • Academic and career and technical education content through coordinated instructional strategies, that may incorporate experiential learning opportunities and promote skills attainment important to in-demand occupations or industries in the State; and 
  • Work-based learning opportunities that provide students in-depth interaction with industry professionals and, if appropriate, academic credit 
Description 13:  Any other information on how the LEA proposes to use funds to meet the purposes of this grant and that the LEA determines appropriate to provide, which may include how the LEA will [Section 1112(b)(13)] (example provided) 
 
  • Assist schools in identifying and serving gifted and talented students; and 
  • Assist schools in developing effective school library programs to provide students an opportunity to develop digital literacy skills and improve academic achievement. 

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