The Blackbelt Instructional Leadership Cohort will focus on the Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement. Leaders will have structured learning sessions followed up with job embedded professional development designed to build a network of Blackbelt leaders working together to develop, support and implement action steps that will improve academic achievement and retain qualified staff.

This interactive session provides participants with dedicated work-time to collaborate with school improvement and ALSDE specialists. Attendees will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained from the ACIP training, receive personalized guidance, and develop actionable plans tailored to their school's unique needs. Session will include: hands-on collaboration with ALSDE experts in school improvement; personalized support for refining and enhancing school improvement plans; assistance in aligning their improvement efforts with ALSDE requirements; and a collaborative environment for sharing challenges and solutions.

Quarterly School Improvement Trainings for all CSI School and District Leaders

School and district leaders face a flood of data—AIM, DRC, PARCA—but too often, that data sits unused or disconnected from real change. This session will equip leaders with strategies to turn ACAP data into a powerful driver of student achievement and school transformation. Learn directly from a leader who moved a high-poverty school from an F to a B on the state report card, achieving 100% proficiency in 3rd-grade ACAP Reading. Discover how to use data to lead courageous conversations, inform instruction, and shape a learning culture that moves students forward.

The Year 3 Turnaround Academy aims to support school and district leaders in sustaining and deepening turnaround efforts in schools, building on the strategies and frameworks introduced in the first two academies. Participants will engage in collaborative sessions focused on refining instructional leadership, developing and recruiting talent, transforming instructional structures and practices, and developing an academic culture. This year’s Turnaround Academy emphasizes the importance of crafting plans for sustainable practices in order to addresses challenges and continue improving after the completion of the first cohort of the Governor's Turnaround Schools.

This technical assistance training session is designed to provide educators and administrators with a comprehensive understanding of the Alabama Continuous Improvement Plan (ACIP). Attendees will gain valuable insights into the ACIP framework, including its components, processes, and the critical role it plays in driving school improvement and student success. The expected outcomes include: understand the key components and objectives of the ACIP; learn how to effectively develop, implement, and monitor an ACIP; explore best practices for engaging stakeholders and using data to inform decision-making; and gain practical tools and resources to enhance the ACIP process in your school or district.

This session will focus on how to be aware of skill gaps of struggling readers in the upper elementary, middle, and even high school classrooms in order to teach reading strategies that will improve their reading skills in every subject area. The session is open to teachers and administrators of any content areas or grade levels. Attendees will gain a repository of strategies that will help bridge learning gaps and enhance instruction for students needed targeted support.

For over 20 years, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) has conducted research on the thinking and behaviors of those who commit acts of targeted school violence in an effort to prevent future tragedies. Key findings from this research indicate that establishing multidisciplinary threat assessment teams and encouraging school communities to report concerning behaviors are critical steps in the prevention of targeted violence.

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), School Safety Task Force, will offer a monthly safe schools training. This virtual training will provide school leaders with training opportunities to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure schools are safe and conducive for learning.  Trainings will include but are not limited to the following: safety drills, bullying prevention, relocation, reunification, fire codes, lockdown, emergency operation plans, mental health awareness, and more. 

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), School Safety Section, will offer a training entitled “School Safety Summit”. This in-person training will explain the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) requirements for the state of Alabama. During this training, participants will learn how to enter documentation in eProve for Compliance Monitoring Review. Safety coordinators, school administrators, central office staff, and anyone preparing fiscal year 2025-2026 Compliance Monitoring Review, and any individual who is responsible for entering information into the nSide School Safety platform are strongly encouraged to attend this training.