Trends I Noticed in Strategic Planning
Some of the themes that resonated most with me from reading school strategic plans were goals that lead to action, accountability, and creating a shared vision of what we want our district to achieve. Many schools include students, staff, parents, board members, business partners, and other stakeholders in the development of their strategic plan.
Another trend I noticed was defining what students will know and be able to do when they graduate, such as communication, collaboration, problem solving, and career readiness.
Sample Strategic Plan
Wayne Community Schools · 2022–2027
The strategic plan I chose to review is Wayne Community Schools' 2022–2027 Strategic Plan Framework. Wayne decided to structure its plan around six pillars: Expanded Learning Opportunities, District Resources, Engagement and Inclusion, Student and Staff Well-Being, Personnel Effectiveness, and Board Governance. I appreciated that Wayne included categories that go beyond academics and address the school district as a whole.
Wayne Community Schools took input from parents, patrons, business leaders, staff, students, and community members. Most critical is that there is a process to put the plan into action. District leadership should delegate responsibilities, track progress, gather evidence, share results, and link the strategic plan to board agendas and district operations. This really jumped out at me because a strategic plan is worthless if you write it and then never look at it again.
The Wayne plan also illustrates how a strategic plan and school improvement plan can overlap without being duplicative. Wayne connects its strategic-plan strategies to school improvement goals, AQuESTT tenets, and Nebraska accreditation standards. A strategic plan provides a broader direction for the entire district, while school improvement is more directly focused on teaching, learning, and student achievement.
View Wayne Community Schools Strategic Plan →
Other Plans Reviewed
I also found strategic-planning work in other Northeast Nebraska districts, including Wakefield and Bloomfield. Wakefield has used a 2022–2027 strategic-plan framework, while Bloomfield has continued to address strategic planning separately from its continuous school improvement process.
View Bloomfield Strategic Plan Working Document →
Elements of a Quality Strategic Plan
One thing that I took away from my reading and looking at different school districts' strategic plans is to keep your strategic plan concise. There should not be too many things that you want to focus on as a district. I feel that a good strategic plan will pick key topics to focus on and break those down into measurable goals and action steps.
Strategic plans should start with the district's mission, vision, and beliefs. It is also important to get feedback from your staff, students, parents, board, and community, as well as look at your district's data to see what you are doing well and what you may need to improve.
What I would include
- Mission and vision
- Feedback from stakeholders
- Data and identified needs
- A few strategic goals to focus on
- Goals and objectives
- Action steps
- Time frames and who will complete each task
- How we will know if we are meeting our goals
- Communication and evaluation of the plan
Having your strategic plan drive your district's decisions is what will make your plan successful. As a superintendent, you want to be able to tie everything you are doing in your district to your strategic plan, whether it is budgeting, hiring, curriculum, professional development, or any other aspect of your district. If your strategic plan is not used to guide your decisions, it will just be another piece of paper on your shelf.
Skeleton Strategic Plan
Skeleton District Strategic Plan 2027–2032
I created a skeleton strategic plan that could be adapted during my first superintendent position. The framework is intentionally focused on four districtwide priorities and includes a goal, possible objectives, and measures of success for each area.
Student Success
Academic growth, aligned instruction, intervention and enrichment, attendance, college readiness, and career-connected learning.
People and Culture
Staff recruitment and development, meaningful feedback, student voice, clear expectations, and a safe learning environment.
Community and Communication
Trust, stakeholder input, open communication, community partnerships, and opportunities that connect students with their community.
Resources and Sustainability
Responsible budgeting, long-range planning, facilities, technology, transportation, safety, and sustainable use of district resources.