Knox County Virtual School Export Export
Goals
G 1 Literacy
A strong foundation in early literacy is fundamental to the academic success of every student. At KCS, we leverage a series of intentional strategies to enhance Tier 1 instruction and deepen individualized student supports.
Thematically, high-quality literacy instruction in the Knox County Schools must address the following issues:
- Standardizing instructional practice through knowledge of standards, pedagogy, collaborative structures, and instructional materials (IPG Culture of Learning and Core Action 1).
- Broadening teacher content knowledge through strategic unit and lesson internalization to implement high-leverage, content-specific teacher moves in literacy instruction.
- Student engagement through challenging tasks, effective questioning, relevant work, and critical thinking (IPG Core Actions 2 and 3)
Performance Measure
Increase ELA proficiency for 4rd-5th grade by 1.9% on the Spring of 2025-2026 TCAP.
Increase ELA proficiency for 6th-8th graders by 1.9% on the Spring of 2025-26 TCAP.
Increase ELA achievement among state identified groups by 2.5% on the Spring 2025-2026 TCAP.
Sections
- Academic Achievement & Growth
- College & Career Readiness
- Climate and Access
- Educators
S 1.1 Equitable Access to Instruction and Interventions
A key strategy of KCS is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to receive appropriate instruction and supports to maximize their opportunities to learn and succeed. Fulfilling this strategy will require an understanding of best practices, access to high-quality instructional materials, and continuous development of instructional faculty.
Benchmark Indicator
IPG walkthrough data
Aimsweb composite data
MVP benchmark assessment data
A 1.1.1 PLCs
Weekly PLCs to continue strenghtening the implementation of high-quality instructional materials in the classroom setting
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.1.2 Interventions
Aligning student needs to tier 2 and 3 interventions to reduce gaps in student learning.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.1.3 Increased Instructional Time
In previous years, the master schedule had built in tutoring time to support skill gaps for students. The data didn't support that students in the highest need were using the tutoring time. The 2025-2026 master schedule will reflect more instructional seat time and a shortened tutoring opportunity on Wednesday afternoons.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 1.2 Capacity Building
Developing key faculty and staff to better serve the needs of all students is paramount to providing the instructional atmosphere the promotes student growth and achievement.
Benchmark Indicator
Educator retention reports
IPG walkthrough data
TIGER evaluation data
Regional Directors Monthly Coaching Conversations
A 1.2.1 IPG Academic Feedback
Providing all ELA instructors with feedback after completing an IPG walkthrough to help support educator growth in instructional practices and strengthen Core Actions 2 and 3.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Chris Layton, Amy Jones, Nicole Buchanan, Linda Perry | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.2.2 TIGER Evaluation Walkthroughs
All ecducators will participate in the TIGER Evaluation Growth Process. Stage 1 teachers will be provided with mentors to help support growth. All stage 2 & 3 educators will have two walkthroughs in the Fall and two in the Spring. A reinforcement and refinement will be provided to help support educator's instructional growth.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Chris Layton, and Amy Jones | 2026-05-21 |
S 1.3 Data-Driven Decision Making
KCS seeks to gain a better foundation of decision making by analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data.
Benchmark Indicator
PLC heathchecks
ILP-D data
MVP assessments data
Aimsweb composite data
IPG walkthrough data
A 1.3.1 PLC Health Check
The school administration and instructional coaching support staff will conduct two PLC Health checks to ensure PLCs are aligned with goals and meeting the needs of educators.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Chris Layton, Amy Jones, Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.3.2 RTI Meetings
RTI meetings will be held every 4 to 6 weeks to review student data and determine if additional supports beyond tier 1 instruction are needed.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.3.3 Data Meetings
Regular data meetings will be held with school leadership to review data trends. This will allow the team to identify areas of strength and areas to support
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 1.4 IPG learning walks to monitor and foster deeper implementation of ELA curricula
Routine IPG walkthroughs enable school leaders to monitor deeper implementation of the ELA curriculum with a focus on the instructional materials and content-specific moves teachers are making to engage students in the curriculum. The ELA teams will conduct diagnostic learning walks with district leadership teams to develop a mutual understanding around the core IPG actions, collect trend data, and develop strategic support plans.
Benchmark Indicator
- ELA IPG walkthrough data indicate 80% of classroom walkthroughs are in the upper bucket (Yes and Mostly) of Core Action 1 (content) and Core Action 2 (teacher).
Frequency of Collection = 2x per year.
- ELA IPG walkthrough data show increases in the upper bucket (Yes/Mostly) in all Core Actions.
Frequency of Collection = 2x per year.
- The percentage of students projected to be proficient from Mastery View Predictive Assessments will increase from the previous year’s baselines. Schools may choose to set a percentage target for the amount of increase.
Frequency of Collection= 2x per Year.
A 1.4.1 Lesson Preparation
Engage in lesson preparation and internalization with grade-level teachers as facilitated by an ELA facilitator.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.4.2 IPG Walkthroughs
Schedule and conduct routine IPG walkthroughs with the regional ELA facilitator and regional leader to observe instruction that was prepared in lesson internalization.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.4.3 Reflective Conversations
Participate in reflective conversations, specifically focused on Core Action 2 and Core Action 3, using a data analysis protocol to identify school-level trends by grade level.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.4.4 Feedback
Develop content-specific feedback with the support of ELA regional facilitator to provide to educators.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Nicole Buchanan, and Linda Perry | 2026-05-21 |
A 1.4.5 Plans to support trend data
Utilize a strategic planning protocol to establish support plans to address trend data through pre-existing systems and structures (i.e., PLCs, early release days, etc.).
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
G 2 Numeracy
Research shows a strong correlation between student success in Algebra 1 and subsequent success in high-school completion, college-going rates, and future income potential. At KCS we support schools in developing standardized instructional practices that promote student engagement across the K-5 spectrum.
Thematically, high-quality math instruction in the Knox County Schools must address the following issues:
- Orienting to the planning requirements, pacing, and characteristics of the newly adopted math curriculum
- Standardizing instructional practice through knowledge of standards, pedagogy, collaborative structures, and instructional materials (IPG Culture of Learning and Core Action 1)
- Student engagement through challenging tasks, effective questioning, relevant work, and critical thinking (IPG Core Actions 2 and 3)
The Knox County School's primary math goal is to prepare students for the rigors of Algebra I instruction. The Knox County Schools chose Algebra I as the prioritized goal because of its link to high school completion rates, college-going rates, and eventual income. The district recognizes the role of middle schools in preparing students for these rigors, so we have provided explicit improvement goals in middle and high school math. Elementary schools are expected to continue to provide high-quality math instruction. The Knox County Schools provides a maintenance goal for elementary math. These goals ensure the district capitalizes on the developed foundational skills across students' academic careers.
To fully engage students in numeracy practices, KCS must give students relevant numeracy skills to prepare for whatever comes next in their lives; be it enrolling in post-secondary schooling, enlisting in the military, or finding employment in high-wage in-demand professions. Knox County students must have access to career exploration activities, experience instruction relevant to their future, and have equitable access to work-based learning opportunities. Elementary and Middle schools can engage in this work through intentional career-oriented activities to build student awareness and curiosity.
Performance Measure
Increase math proficiency for 4th-5th graders by 1.8% on the Spring 2025-26 TCAP.
Increase math proficiency for 6th-8th graders by 1.9% on the state Spring 2025-26 TCAP.
Increase math achievement among state-identified groups by 2.5% on the Spring 2025-2026 TCAP.
Increase Algebra I proficiency rates by 2.4% on the 2025-26 state EOC.
Sections
- Academic Achievement & Growth
- College & Career Readiness
- Climate and Access
- Educators
S 2.1 Equitable Access to Instruction and Interventions
A key strategy of KCS is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to receive appropriate instruction and supports to maximize their opportunities to learn and succeed. Fulfilling this strategy will require an understanding of best practices, access to high-quality instructional materials, and continuous development of instructional faculty.
Benchmark Indicator
IPG walkthrough data
iReady data
MVP benchmark assessment data
A 2.1.1 IPG Walkthroughs
Regular IPG walkthroughs will be conducted to collect data on the implementation of high-quality instructional materials.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.1.2 Interventions
Student data will be regularly collected and reviewed every 4 to 6 weeks to determine whether students require tier 2 or 3 additional supports. An additional interventionist will serve to support small groups of intervention support.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
|
A 2.1.3 Intervention Fidelity Checks
Every nine weeks, fidelity checks will occur for all interventions to ensure the implementation of the intervention program with integrity.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.1.4 Yearlong Math Courses
In the 2025-2026 school year, the master schedule will be redesigned to accommodate year-long math instruction. This will capitalize on more instructional time to support skill gaps and skill acquisition.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 2.2 Capacity Building
Developing key faculty and staff to better serve the needs of all students is paramount to providing the instructional atmosphere the promotes student growth and achievement.
Benchmark Indicator
Educator retention reports
IPG walkthrough data
TIGER evaluation data
Regional Directors Monthly Coaching Conversations
A 2.2.1 Weekly PLCs
Weekly PLCs focused on lesson prep protocols and analyzing student work to identify instructional strategies to support student success and growth.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
S 2.3 Data-Driven Decision Making
KCS seeks to gain a better foundation of decision making by analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data.
Benchmark Indicator
PLC heathchecks
MVP assessments data
iReady composite data
IPG walkthrough data
A 2.3.1 PLC Health Checks
The school administration and instructional coaching support staff will conduct two PLC health checks to ensure PLCs are aligned with goals and meeting the needs of educators.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.3.2 RTI Meetings
RTI meeting will be held every 4 to 6 weeks to review student data and determine if additional supports beyond tier 1 instruction are needed.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.3.3 Data Meetings
Regular data meetings will be held with school leadership to review data trends. This will allow the team to identify areas of strength and areas to support.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 2.4 IPG learning walks to monitor and foster deeper implementation of math curricula
School Leadership Routine IPG walkthroughs enable school leaders to monitor effective implementation of the Math curriculums with a focus on the instructional materials and content-specific moves teachers are making to engage students in the curriculum.
Benchmark Indicator
- Math IPG walkthrough data indicate 80% of classroom walkthroughs are in the upper bucket (Yes and Mostly) of Core Action 1 (content) and Core Action 2 (teacher). Frequency of Collection = 2x per year
- Math IPG walkthrough data show increases in the upper bucket (Yes/Mostly) in all Core Actions.
Frequency of Collection = 2x per year.
- The percentage of students projected to be proficient from i-Ready Diagnostic Assessments will increase from previous year baselines. Schools may choose to set a percentage target for the amount of increase.
Frequency of Collection = 3x per Year.
A 2.4.1 IPG walkthroughs with regional math facilitator
Schedule and conduct routine IPG walkthroughs with the regional math facilitator and regional leader.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.4.2 Reflective Conversation in area of Core Action 2 & 3
Participate in reflective conversations, specifically focused on Core Action 2 and Core Action 3, using a data analysis protocol to identify school-level trends by grade level.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.4.3 Strategic Planning Protocol
Utilize a strategic planning protocol to establish support plans to address trend data through pre-existing systems and structures.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
S 2.5 Internalization of HQIM at the unit and lesson level for whole group and small group instruction
Implement unit and Implement unit and lesson preparation during teacher collaboration time. Empower leaders and teachers to know the content of the Math units within high-quality instructional materials by understanding the goals and design of the unit and how the lessons build toward the task(s) or assessment. Develop expertise in the process of lesson preparation with HQIM by understanding the goals of the lesson and the resources available within the materials to support students in demonstrating learning through purposeful practice. Build knowledge of the most high-leverage, content-specific teacher moves that increase student learning.
Benchmark Indicator
- An analysis of IPG data will indicate an increase in upper bucket data in all three Core Actions of the Math IPG. Frequency of Collection = Quarterly.
A 2.5.1 Unit and lesson preparation support
Designate regular time and establish expectations that teachers will engage in unit and lesson preparation with the support of an instructional leader.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.5.2 Leaders engaging in unit/lesson preparation
Leaders (executive principals/APs) actively engage in at least one unit/lesson preparation session per grade level per quarter.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.5.3 Oral rehearsal of unit/lesson
Teachers engage in oral rehearsal (practicing instruction) throughout the process of unit/lesson preparation.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.5.4 Anticipated Needs Discussions
Teachers discuss the anticipated needs of all students to ensure every child has access to Tier I content and instruction.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.5.5 Target questions in PLCs
- Answer three targeted questions:
- What is the intention of the lesson?
- What are the teacher-moves?
- How will students demonstrate their understanding?
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.5.6 IPG follow up walkthroughs
Follow-up by scheduling IPG walkthroughs during instruction of prepared lessons to determine effectiveness of unit/lesson preparation sessions.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 2.5.7 Reflect with Math facilitator
Reflect with Math facilitator on action steps to improve unit/lesson preparation sessions.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
G 3 Instructional Excellence
Student engagement and academic success hinge on the overall quality of instruction across all subjects and grade levels. KCS promotes an environment of continual improvement by providing supports for teachers and principals that help them identify and address student needs through rigorous and relevant instructional practices.
Performance Measure
Increase retention of highly effective teachers (teachers with a 4 or higher on TIGER evaluations) by 2% at the end of 2025-2026.
Decrease chronic absenteeism by 2.0% by the Spring of 2025-2026.
Increase the percentage of teachers who are continuing to teach state-tested courses by 2% at the end of 2025-26.
Sections
- Academic Achievement & Growth
- Climate and Access
- Educators
S 3.1 Data-Driven Decision Making
KCS seeks to gain a better foundation of decision making by analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data.
Benchmark Indicator
PLC heathchecks
ILP-D data
MVP assessments data
Aimsweb composite data
iReady composite data
IPG walkthrough data
A 3.1.1 Leadership Data Review Meetings
Once every quarter a data meeting with the school-level leadership team will occur to review data collected from PLC healthchecks, MVP assessments, Aimsweb data, i-Ready data, evaluation data, and IPG walkthrough data to determine trends and potential supports needed in each content area.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.1.2 Regional Data Review Meetings
Knox County Virtual will meet with Region 2 leadership to review school data and reflect on progress toward goals and areas that require support to reach the goals.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.1.3 SchoolWide Title 1 Meeting
Meeting with staff, families, and stakeholders to review school data and how Title 1 funds are being utilized to support school improvement goals.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 3.2 Capacity Building
Developing key faculty and staff to better serve the needs of all students is paramount to providing the instructional atmosphere the promotes student growth and achievement.
Benchmark Indicator
Educator retention reports
IPG walkthrough data
TIGER evaluation data
Regional Directors Monthly Coaching Conversations
A 3.2.1 IPG Academic Feedback
Providing all core content instructors with feedback after an IPG walkthrough to help support educator growth in instructional practices and strengthen Core Actions 2 & 3.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.2.2 Tiger Evaluation Walkthrough
All educators will participate in the TIGER Evaluation Growth Process. Stage 1 teachers will be provided with mentors to help support growth. All stage 2 & 3 educators will have two walkthroughs in the Fall and two in the Spring. A reinforcement and refinement will be provided to help support educators' instructional growth.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.2.3 Schoolwide Professional Development Series
In the 2025-2026 school year, the principal and instructional coach will continue to implement a schoolwide professional development series aimed at increasing both student engagement and student ownership of learning through high-quality instructional practices. The series is guided by Engagement by Design. Every teacher received a copy of the text through Title 1 funding.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
S 3.3 Enhancing PLC structures to support school goals and increase teacher capacity.
Regional ILT members provide support for developing, leading, and evaluating professional learning communities among content area teachers that focus on the needs and instructional outcomes of all students, deepen lesson and unit internalization practices in HQIM-aligned contents, and increase the instructional capacity of teachers in support of district and school improvement goals.
Benchmark Indicator
- Q1: School-based PD plans reflect a clear plan for teacher groupings and weekly schedule for PLCs that include, at a minimum, all core-content teachers in tested areas.
- Q1-Q4: Goals for all PLC groups are developed and refined through an identified student need, teacher need, or aspect of the school improvement plan (student work, IPG-trend analysis, curricular assessments, etc.)
- Q1-Q4: PLC assessment data is leveraged by RILT teams during region visits to monitor progress toward SIP goals.
- Q1-Q4: School leadership team members and RILT engage in PLC supports and observations as determined by content-area and school needs dictate.
A 3.3.1 PLC Structure and Planning
Schools will Identify teacher teams, a schedule for PLCs, and relevant goals based on identified student and teacher needs.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Nicole Buchanan, and Abbie Merrill | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.3.2 PLC Regional Support
RILT facilitators support planning and development of PLC leaders by incorporating a gradual release through modeling, co-planning, coaching.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Region 2 ILT | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.3.3 PLC Leader Professional Development
PLC leaders participate in professional development throughout the course of the year (DLDs, T&L, Assistant Principal Meetings, etc.) to elevate a focus on student learning, a collaborative culture, and a structure for results and classroom application.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Keith Wilson, Erin Phillips, and Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.3.4 Defining leadership roles in supporting PLCs
Executive Principal will collaborate with regional leaders to define the roles of the leadership team in supporting and monitoring PLC impact and outcomes.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Nathan Langlois | 2026-05-21 |
S 3.4 New Teacher Experience (a passport for year one success)
Schools will ensure new teachers have access to a range of year-long supports
Benchmark Indicator
- Specific time blocks notated in New Teacher Experience. Principals should initial the completion of tasks on Success Passport
- Mentor and New Teacher meeting notes should indicate progress towards completion of supports offered to New Teachers
A 3.4.1 Develop scope and sequence of support
Integrate school-specific support in the New Teacher Experience Scope and Sequence
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.4.2 Mentor Training
Train selected mentors in the New Teacher Experience work for optimized support of new teachers
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
A 3.4.3 Check-in times
Set recurring times to check in with new teachers and discuss progress on the Support Passport
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 3.5 Class Software Delivery of Virtual instruction
In the 2025-2026 school year, Knox County Virtual School will purchase and utilize a software called Class that will help teachers monitor student engagement and highlight trends in teacher and student moves. This data and information will help to have reflective conversations regarding instructional practices in both PLCs and professional development opportunities within the school.
Benchmark Indicator
Class software data and analytic reports
Observation data collected from IPG and TIGER walkthroughs.
A 3.5.1 PLC data reflection
Data and analytics from the Class software will be highlighted and discussed in PLCs when relevant to teacher bring-backs and/or student engagement.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
|
G 4 College and Career Readiness
Public schools are uniquely positioned in the community to prepare every student for success after graduation. At KCS, success after graduation begins with early and meaningful opportunities for college and career exposure. In middle and high school, college and career readiness progresses in the form of intentional, student-driven opportunities for college and career exploration. Our ultimate goal is to prepare every student for a successful transition into one of the three E’s: employment, enrollment, or enlistment.
Performance Measure
Increase the percent of students enrolled in EPSOs by 1.1% by May 2026.
Increase Ready Graduate rate by 1.8% by May 2026.
Increase the percent of graduates who attain the 21+ on the ACT by 1% by May 2026.
Sections
- College & Career Readiness
- Educators
S 4.1 Capacity Building
Developing key faculty and staff to better serve the needs of all students is paramount to providing the instructional atmosphere the promotes student growth and achievement.
Benchmark Indicator
Educator retention reports
IPG walkthrough data
TIGER evaluation data
Regional Directors Monthly Coaching Conversations
Academy Coaches Check-ins
A 4.1.1 Weekly PLCs
Weekly PLCs by content area, focused on lesson prep protocols and analyzing student work to identify instructional strategies to support student success and growth.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Abbie Merrill, and Nicole Buchanan | 2026-05-21 |
A 4.1.2 Professional Development
Using IPG and TIGER walkthrough data, Knox County Virtual will foster professional development opportunities centered around core actions 2 & 3 on early release days.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 4.2 Data-Driven Decision Making
KCS seeks to gain a better foundation of decision making by analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data.
Benchmark Indicator
MVP assessments data
EPSO enrollment trends
IPG walkthrough data
A 4.2.1 Data Meetings
Quarterly data meetings will be held with school leadership, instructional coaches, counselors, and graduation support staff to review student data and progress toward graduation and CCR standards. This will allow the team to identify students who need additional supports and plans to meet goals.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |
S 4.3 Data analysis and feedback cycles with counseling teams to build more proactive models of counseling program implementation
Analysis of data related to comprehensive school counseling programs and support building structures to monitor counseling interventions and program outcome goal outcomes.
Benchmark Indicator
- (HS and MS) District-level benchmark: Tier 1 & 2 intervention and intervention schedule report. Frequency of Collection = Quarterly.
- (HS and MS) District-level benchmark: 100% of secondary school counseling departments will report program goal results per school's program management agreement. Frequency of Collection = Quarterly.
- (HS and MS) District-level benchmark: Quarterly “flashlight” presentation on counseling program impact data - report on progress toward CSCP goals and counseling interventions and outcomes. Frequency of Collection = Quarterly.
A 4.3.1 District Audit of Counseling
Participate in an implementation audit led by district counseling staff
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Jodie Overton | 2026-05-21 |
A 4.3.2 Determining Program Outcome Goals
Analyze audit and school data, identifying needs and gaps to determine counseling program outcome goals
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett and Jodie Overton | 2026-05-21 |
A 4.3.3 Implementation of recommendations
Implement recommendations from diagnostic visits to propose solutions individualized to the school context.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett, Michelle Pacleb, and Maria Castle | 2026-05-21 |
A 4.3.4 PLC Structure
Utilize the district PLC structure to analyze and monitor data throughout the year.
- Examples include:
- Explicit feedback about how to organize systems to support to maximize efficiency.
- Feedback and monitoring of program outcomes and intervention results
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Garrett | 2026-05-21 |