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Accountability and flexibility are hallmarks of Gwinnett County Public Schools' success. Key to that success is ensuring that each school community understands the progress being made by its schools, as well as what plans will drive improvement. Each school creates a collaborative Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI) to increase student achievement results, with targeted goals based on the four strategic priorities within the district’s Blueprint for the Future: Empathy, Equity, Effectiveness, and Excellence. All schools across the district will focus on goals 2A- Multi-tiered Systems of Support and 2B- Opportunity and Access. Additionally, schools are required to select one goal from each of the other strategic priorities. LSPI goals are dynamic, like our schools, and are updated to reflect changes that occur in schools. Multiple data points are used to determine areas needing improvement and to identify specific, measurable, annual objectives. Schools then determine how to use research-based strategies to achieve these goals, using flexibility as needed. The LSPI development process involves teachers, parents, students, and community members, so the entire school community has the opportunity to be involved in conversations about school improvement.

 

2025 - 2026 Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI)


School: DULUTH HIGH           Principal: Cindy Kinchen
District Strategic Priorities/Goals Rationale Action Steps
(Implementation Design)		 How will you measure growth?
Growth Factors (Baseline & Targets)
Equity 2.A - Multi-tiered System of Supports

 

Duluth High School recognizes the need to provide high quality Tier 1 instruction as well as differentiated interventions and supports to meet the diverse needs of each and every student.

  1.  Duluth High School will utilize data to offer the following academic supports:

    1. Targeted, multi-tiered interventions during lunch/advisement.

    2. CLT Planning Days (content areas, Intervention teachers, PBIS, 9th Grade Academy, grade level teaming, Multilingual Learners, Advisement, New Teachers, PD Committee, vertical teams) : Additional paid collaborative planning days during the school year and summer for teachers to plan, analyze data, and design lessons.

    3. Use of technology and software to provide differentiated instruction and remediation.

    4. Duluth Summer Program and dedicated credit recovery /GOC/local module lab for students to make up failed credits.

     

  2.  Duluth High School will offer various non-academic supports:

    1. Behavior Intervention through multi-tiered levels of support (e.g. Teachers, Counselors, case managers, administrators, PBIS team, etc.) for students to work on affective skills such as conflict resolution, attendance, goal setting, and self-reflection.

    2. Chronically Absenteeism Committee will deploy several strategies throughout the year to decrease chronic absenteeism such as  a Special Advisement, Wildcat Comeback Reengagement, home visits,  guest speakers, and Phoenix field-trips.  

     

  3. Duluth High School will increase parent capacity by providing support and information to parents regarding their child's academic and social learning (as well as  (academic needs, attendance concerns, SEL needs, etc.) through workshops, Open House days, Parent Portal days, and additional parent outreach activities. 
  1. Percent of all Milestone tests in which students scored at Proficient & Distinguished level:
    2024/2025: LA - 28.4%, MA - 47.4%, SC - 46.8%, SS - 56.4%
    Target Benchmark: LA - 30%, MA - 48.1%, SC - 46.9%, SS - 56.5%
  2. Difference in percent of ML students scoring at Proficient & Distinguished level on the Milestone tests and the overall student population:
    2024/2025: LA - 19.6%, MA - 8.3%, SC - 21.3%, SS - 17.9%
    Target/Benchmarks: LA - 17%, MA - 5%, SC - 18%, SS - 15%
  3. PBIS Points Awarded/Points Redeemed
    2024/2025: Percentage of students earning points: 97%, Percentage of points redeemed: 46%
    Target: Percentage of students earning points: 97%, Percentage of points redeemed: 49%
  4. Multilingual Learner English proficiency progress based on ACCESS Test growth:
    2024/2025: 64.6 %
    Target/Benchmark: 67.4%
  5. Difference between % of Black students with discipline incidents and overall %:
    2024/2025 (April): 6.1%
    Target: 3%
  6. Difference between % of Hispanic students with discipline incidents and overall %:
    2024/2025 (April):4.7%
    Target: 2%
  7. Percent of students chronically absent: 
    5/22/25: 31% 
    Target/Benchmark: 29.7%
Equity 2.B - Opportunity and Access

Duluth High School prioritizes the expansion of student opportunity and access to high quality, rigorous and relevant coursework in an effort to best position our students for success in college and career.

 
  1. Duluth High School will expand and prioritize student opportunities through open enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) classes by using an Analysis of Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS) survey results to identify potential AP students and leaders.
  2. The administrative team will develop a year-long professional development program aligned to our instructional focus to engage every student.

  3. The Family Center staff along with counselors will provide support for parents and students enrolling in non-traditional GCPS programs, such as Phoenix High School, Acceleration Academy, Dual Enrollment, Grayson Tech, Maxwell High School, Work-Based Learning, etc. 
  1. Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment participation and performance: 2024/2025: Course Participation: 28%, Test Participation: 89%, Performance: Available in July
    Target: Course Participation: 29%, Test Participation: 89%, Performance: 75%
  2. Percent of students graduating in 4 years.
    2023/2024: 88.2%
    Target: 90%
    2024/2025: 86.94%
    Target/Benchmark: 87.3%
  3. Difference in the graduation rate of Multilingual students and Overall students. 2024/2025: 10.83%
    Target: 10%
  4. Difference in the graduation rate of Special Education students and Overall students. 2024/2025: 8.96%
    Target: 8%