Recognizing the risk and consequences of a COVID spread, the LEA seeks to first evaluate where and how potential risks might occur. A thorough evaluation of each facility, especially those that house students, is expected to reveal areas that are most susceptible to entry of a virus, including through air vents, windows, doors, and on individuals who may enter each facility. Among the prevention strategies that are currently in place are the continued encouragement to where face coverings, proper spacing of students and staff in hallways as well as the classroom, regular sanitization of buildings and equipment, and continuous dissemination of mitigation strategies.  In order to continuously and safely operate schools for in-person learning, the LEA intends to install HVAC and filtering units throughout schools that are inadequately equipped, as well as to provide more effective filtering equipment. Additionally, the LEA intends to limit access to school buildings to students, staff, and essential workers, thus requiring the purchase of alarm devices and mobile stations for access to individuals who would otherwise be regularly permitted to entered the enclosed, safe environment. The LEA will provide additional petitions for student and teacher desks as needed and employ additional staff to reduce class size or provide intervention as needed.

The LEA will survey the entire student population to identify each subgroup and by using historical data or by additional survey, identify the needs of each sub-group that have not already been identified based on specific subject area performance. Evidence-based interventions will then be researched and practiced. They are to include: context and setting, participants, intervention agents, description of practice, implementation fidelity, internal validity, outcome measures and dependent variables, and data analysis. Baseline interventions such as pre and post tests will be utilized. Both qualitative and quantitative data will be disaggregated to determine the effect of outcomes for each sub-group.

Services are provided to and for all students with an increased emphasis on helping the at-risk students who are enrolled or may enroll (migratory, EL, students with disabilities, homeless, foster care, neglected/delinquent, and economically disadvantaged) to achieve local and state goals of high achievement. Measures to be used toward achieving these goals and making revisions when appropriate, are addressed by the School Advisory Committee, RtI, and LEA District Leadership Team. The District conducts data meetings with all schools in the district. The data meetings focus on the district data as a whole and each individual school’s data. During these meetings instructional adjustments are discussed. Each school administrator then takes the information shared and plans their own school based data meetings. The LEA also visits each school multiple times during the year to check on data progress, program implementation and to provide targeted support as needed. The LEA offers support and guidance with the RTI process and Dyslexia process. The LEA offers guidance and support to each school as they prepare their school CIP.  Although each CIP is written to meet the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) each varies in composition and strategies to meet the individual needs of each school and its students. In grades K-3, students are assessed using the DIBELS as well as informal instruments to identify reading levels and areas of weakness. This instrument provides data in the five critical areas of reading that can be interference to successful reading. Teachers will use this data to drive instructional strategies. Identified students who have academic difficulty (D's and F's) on report cards; baseline scores from instructional software, STAR Reading, STAR Math and ACT indicating little or no progress may be referred to the RTI team for tiered intervention. Emphasis is placed on prevention at the elementary level so that students will be able to function effectively at the middle and high schools. Teachers will provide instruction-using evidence based resources and strategies. A plan of action will be formulated for each student failing to meet proficient or advanced levels of academic achievement. Results of all assessments are analyzed annually for comparability.  The EL Coordinator and EL staff meet regularly for departmental meetings to discuss program needs, student needs and progress, and review program implementation. EL staff and core teachers use data collected from student work samples and English proficiency assessment results to determine student needs and goals. State required assessment results are analyzed annually at all school levels in combination with other academic achievement measures (universal screening assessments, progress monitoring assessments, grades, etc.) to determine comprehensive needs and instructional strategies to target areas of growth. Parent conferences for identified students will be held to discuss at home strategies and to provide parents with information on how to increase school support. Students who are identified as experiencing severe problems may be referred to the Multidisciplinary Committee which is comprised of many county agencies such as Mental Health, Health Department, Youth Services, Department of Human Resources (DHR), Alabama School for the Deaf and Blind, Children's Rehabilitative Services.

Qualification of prospective employees will be closely reviewed and documented to ensure that required qualification are met. Current employees not meeting the new requirements of being properly certified will be notified that they must meet the requirements within the specified time. Services and programs will be designed and implemented to assist these persons in meeting employment requirements if they choose to do so. The primary goal of Gadsden City Schools professional development (PD) is to provide comprehensive, capacity building to assist schools in making standards-driven instruction work for students and teachers included in their Continuous Improvement Plan.

In recognition that the parent is the child's first and most important teacher and the parent's continued involvement is essential for the success of the child, the Gadsden City Board of Education is committed to building a strong parent and family-school partnership. Understanding the significant impact family engagement has on a child's educational success, Gadsden City Schools promotes and encourages parents and families, school personnel, local daycare providers, and Head Start to be involved in all aspects of their child's/student's education. The Gadsden City Board of Education Parent/Family and Community Coordinator shall develop with the LEA Advisory Council composed of parents, teachers, community representatives and administrators, a written policy in accordance with ESSA describing implementation of programs and requirements.  The committee will meet annually to review, discuss, and revise the Parent and Family Engagement Policy. All members of the Advisory Committee will be encouraged to actively participate in the process. During the LEA Advisory Committee meetings, Title I, Title II, and other federal programs will be reviewed, discussed, and modified. The proposed plans and budgets will be submitted to the Advisory Committee for discussion. Data will be presented and discussed. The data will be used to determine the instructional focus for the upcoming year. After the plans and budgets are agreed upon, they are sent to the schools for implementation. Schools use parent surveys to gain knowledge of strengths, weaknesses and give parents an opportunity to share their suggestions.

The CSFO and the bookkeepers in each department will monitor all POs and spending to be sure it is on the approved application. Each PO will go through the proper process that is already in place by board policy. They will be signed off on by the requestor, director and superintendent. The CSFO will be in charge of reporting back to the community in the monthly open board meetings.

The LEA will seek partnerships with community agencies whose services directly impact students and their families. That will allow for an additional means of communication with parents. The LEA will continue to utilize its normal means of communicating with parents as well. These include electronic messaging, written and oral communication, invitations to celebrate the success of the subgroups of students, and offers for parents and families to directly engage in decisions about the use of funds.