About Us > Overview
Launched in October 2014, the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) is a multiyear cooperative agreement funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). NCSI plays a major role in helping states achieve a national vision of Results-Driven Accountability (RDA) for special education and early intervention programs.
The Need for a National Center for Systemic Improvement
RDA represents a significant shift in state accountability from a focus on compliance and ensuring access to education and early intervention services to a focus on measurable and meaningful outcomes in learning and development for children and youth with disabilities.
Successfully navigating the shift that “moves the needle” on measurable outcomes requires states to accurately assess needs, priorities, and capacities of program infrastructures; engage in strategic, collaborative, and integrated improvement planning; and implement carefully selected evidence-based practices. NCSI was created to help states meet these needs.
NCSI Work Flow: Technical Assistance Planning & Delivery
NCSI Leadership & Administration: Project Co-Directors
NCSI Leadership Team: WestEd & Partner Leaders
TA Coordination Team: Service Area Team Leads
Service Area Teams: Data Use, Knowledge Utilization, Systems Change, Communication & Collaboration. (Technical Assistance Service Development)
Targeted Outcomes for the NCSI
- 1. Increase the capacity of state education agencies (SEAs) and lead agencies (LAs) to develop, implement, and evaluate their State Systemic Improvement Plans (SSIPs)
- 2. Increase SEAs’ and LAs’ knowledge, selection, and utilization of evidence-based practices (EBPs)
- 3. Improve SEA and LA infrastructure and coordination within SEAs and LAs for delivering effective technical assistance (TA) on implementing and scaling-up effective strategies, stakeholder engagement, resource mapping and allocation, and instructional collaboration
- 4. Increase the use of effective dissemination strategies by SEAs and LAs to ensure local educational agencies (LEAs) and early intervention service (EIS) programs and providers have access to EBPs and select and implement those EBPs in a sustainable manner
- 5. Increase the effectiveness of SEAs and LAs to meaningfully engage State and local stakeholders in the development and implementation of the SSIP
- 6. Increase the capacity of SEAs and LAs to effectively utilize TA resources funded by the Department of Education
- 7. Increase the capacity of SEAs and LAs to implement general supervision systems that support effective implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)