For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Challenged schools in need of improvement" are schools which have been identified for comprehensive supports through Washington's federally authorized accountability system.

(2) "Federally approved accountability plan" refers to the state plan submitted to and approved by the federal Department of Education under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended.

(3) "Persistently lowest achieving schools" are a subset of "challenged schools in need of improvement" and are characterized, among other things, as schools showing a lack of progress for all students and subgroups of students over a number of years.

(4) "Required action district" is a district with one or more schools identified as a persistently lowest achieving school, which is recommended by the superintendent of public instruction as a required action district and subsequently designated by the state board of education as a required action district.

(5) "Washington school improvement framework" or "WSIF" means the system of school differentiation described in the Washington accountability plan approved by the U.S. Department of Education as meeting federal requirements.