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 has rolled over for 2025-26 school year to the streamlined Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) Template. New to the streamlined template? You can find more information about the streamlined layout in this informational overview of the Streamlined Unified Improvement Plan Template.

With the rollover to the next school year, be aware of the following:
- School-level users have gained access to the 2025-26 UIP and can no longer update the 2024-25 UIPs. School leaders can work with district staff to update and repost any changes needed for the 2024-25 UIPs. 2025-26 UIP records include feedback from CDE consultations and reviews completed during the 2024-25 cycle until July 2025.
- District-level users gain access to 2025-26 UIPs. Dashboards and reports are populating data for the 2025-26 UIP cycle. Dashboards and reports for the 2024-25 can be found in the “District Folder” on the Reports tab on the UIP Online System.
The following resources will be released for the 2025-26 UIP Cycle to help support the planning efforts of UIP teams
- A single quality criteria document including both school and district requirements.
- Updated UIP Workbook aligned to the streamlined template, including tools and resources.
- District Admin User Guide and UIP User Guide that include screen shots and directions for navigating the online system.
- Implementation Workbook tactical resources to support leaders in facilitating strong plan implementation.
- A comprehensive Summary Change document for Accountability and Improvement Planning in the 2025-26 School Year

We hosted an informational Webinar on Wednesday, April 30th from 10-11 am to describe updates and changes and address questions about the process. Check out the recording in the UIP 101 Video Resource library.

Need support in understanding how this effects school-level UIP teams? The SIP Team is ready to help support district-level users plan for and understand the impact moving to the streamline template may have in the district. Schedule a meeting with the SIP team with our registration link.
Additional resources and registration for office hours about the Streamline Template can be accessed on the UIP Online System page.

What's Up and Coming

All district and school-level Unified Improvement Plans will utilize the streamlined template starting April 15, 2025
The SIP team is available to support you with plan development or being a thought partner as you build out supports for your school or district.

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.
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.