Unified Improvement Planning

About

Unified Improvement Planning was introduced in 2009 to streamline improvement planning components of state and federal accountability requirements. Based on the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids (SB212-08), the primary purpose of improvement planning is to align efforts to: Ensure all students exit the K-12 education system ready for post-secondary education, and/or to be successful in the workforce, earning a living wage immediately upon graduation.

Colorado schools and districts can improve student learning and system effectiveness by engaging in a cycle of continuous improvement to manage their performance. To support this purpose, the Education Accountability Act of 2009 requires each Colorado district and school to create an annual improvement plan.

The intent is that schools and districts create a single plan that has true meaning for stakeholders, ultimately reducing the total number of separate plans required. With that in mind, the Colorado Department of Education has developed a unified improvement planning template and processes to support schools and districts in their performance management efforts.

The UIP template has been designed to meet state, federal, and program accountability requirements.

Announcements

We are excited to announce that the Colorado Department of Education is rolling out a streamlined Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) Template. The changes stem from consideration of feedback over time and two years of piloting from educators, administrators, and stakeholders. Please note, this template will be available as an opt-in choice for districts for the 2024-25 plan.

Key Features of New UIP Template:

Streamlined Layout: The layout of the new template has been reorganized to better align with school and district planning processes, making it easier for users to navigate and complete.
Clarified Instructions: Specificity has been added within the template, ensuring that users have clear guidance, samples, and resources for what information needs to be provided in each section.
Reduced Completion Time: Sections have been shortened and consolidated to minimize redundancy and streamline the entry process, ultimately saving time for plan development.
Enhanced Visual Appeal: The updated template features a refreshed design, with improved formatting, navigation, and readability to enhance the overall user experience.

Informational overview of the Streamlined Unified Improvement Plan Template

Additional resources and registration for office hours about the Streamline Template can be accessed on the UIP Online System page.

What's New

We've recently released the following resources:

Resources for Traditional and Streamlined UIP Templates
- School Quality Criteria documents
- District Quality Criteria documents
- UIP/ACI Online System User Set Up & Management - Resource for LAMs
- District Admin User Guide for UIP Online System
- User Guides for the Streamlined and Traditional UIP Template options
Streamlined UIP Template resources
- Recording of Statewide Webinar on 3/22
- Video Series 101
UIP & Stakeholders - Resources for Boards of Education

School/District Streamlined UIP, Improvement Planning & Accountability Support: Office Hours

Thirty-minute consultation sessions with SIP Team staff are available Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9a-11a and 1p-3p. This time is provided to offer support and guidance regarding school/district Streamlined UIP, improvement planning, data analysis, school performance frameworks, accountability and/or data analysis. Please note: This appointment may be shuffled to a more appropriate staff member based on your specific needs.
Support Registration Link - Please note that registration closes two hours before office hours start. If you are trying to register within two hours of the designated office hours, please call Stacey Battaglia at 720-668-4949.

Accountability

In Colorado's accountability system, district and schools are assigned ratings or plan types. There are different requirements for submission and plan content based on the plan type that can be found in the UIP Guidance documents. The Code of Colorado Regulations for the administration of statewide accountability is also available and provides the official accountability and accreditation rules as passed by the State Board of Education.

The UIP, the UIP handbook, and this website are designed around the four components of improvement planning (in the table below). Tools and resources are included to provide greater detail and recommendations for leading the planning process, help schools and districts understand UIP requirements, and support facilitation of the continuous improvement cycle.

Continuous Improvement

The diagram depicted here illustrates the theory of action behind Colorado's approach to improvement planning. By engaging in a continuous improvement cycle to manage performance, districts and schools will improve their effectiveness and the outcomes for students.

Focus attention on the right things (performance indicators);
Evaluate performance by gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data about performance;
Plan improvement strategies based on performance data, root cause analysis, and evidence-based strategies
Implement planned improvement strategies.

Evaluate Plan Implement

For More Information

Please contact the SIP Team, UIPHelp@cde.state.co.us, or 720-668-4949.