; (ii) the State system of annual meaningful differentiation, as described under section 1111(c)(4)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(4)(C) ); (iii) teacher and school leader preparation, quality, experience, and equitable distribution; (iv) interventions both in-school and out-of-school that support student learning; (v) student engagement activities; (vi) disproportionate use of exclusionary disciplinary practices, including in-school and out-of-school suspensions; (vii) family and community engagement in education; (viii) equitable distribution of resources; and (ix) student and academic support services, such as effective school library programs and school counseling on the transition to secondary school and planning for entry into postsecondary education and the workforce. (4) Middle grades improvement plan (A) In general A State educational agency that receives a grant under this title shall develop a middle grades improvement plan that— (i) shall be a statewide plan to improve student academic achievement in the middle grades, based on the needs assessment described in paragraph (3); and (ii) describes what students are required to know and do to successfully— (I) complete the middle grades; (II) develop the competencies of— (aa) the ability to acquire and use deep content knowledge to solve problems; (bb) critical thinking; (cc) effective communication; (dd) self-direction; and (ee) the ability to collaborate