PowerPoint Presentation

Strategic PlanningGoverning Board Online Training Module

Slide #1 Voice-overWelcome to the board training module on strategic planning. In this module you will learn about the structure and value of a strategic plan, and how the strategic plan informs the work of the governing board. The charter school governing board plays a critical role in the development of the strategic plan, which serves as a blue print for the schools future.1

What is a Strategic Plan?A written document mapping the path to successThe recipe to achieve the vision and missionA step-by-step guide to reach goalsContain goals, objectives, measures, and timelinesIndicates parties accountable for accomplishing tasksUsually expressed in 5 to 10 year time periods

Slide #2 Voice-overAn effective governing board develops a long-term written strategic plan to ensure the school stays on the path toward fulfilling its vision and mission. The process of developing a strategic plan articulates the vision and mission into clear goals and behaviors that can be followed by the board, administrators, staff, parents, and students. The strategic plan includes the goals, objectives, and timelines, as well as the means for measuring progress for each goal. The plan should also indicate the people who will be held accountable for accomplishing the tasks. To ensure a focus on long term success, the governing board should aim at establishing a strategic plan expressed in five to ten year periods.2

The Value ProvidedThe value of the strategic planning processThe value of using and monitoring a strategic planThe value of the strategic plan for the governing board

Slide #3 Voice-overThe value provided by strategic planning is three-fold. First, there is the value in the systematic and deliberate process of developing the strategic plan. Second, there is value in the way a school uses and monitors the plan. And third, the strategic plan is a valuable tool to guide the effectiveness and efficiency of the schools governing board.3

The Value of the Strategic Planning ProcessAn opportunity to discuss and articulate the vision and missionRequires an examination of the schools values, current status, and environmentDevelops common vocabulary for all stakeholdersEmpowers stakeholders to feel in control of the schools futureProactive, not reactive

Slide #4 Voice-overThe strategic planning process provides governing board members with the important opportunity to discuss and further define the meaning behind the words in the vision and mission statements. Engaging in such conversation further establishes a governing boards unified message to the school community and beyond. The strategic planning process also requires that the school closely examine the current status and environment so that realistic and appropriate goals are developed. Through the process, the school will establish a common vocabulary across all stakeholder groups, including teachers, parents, administrators, and governing board members. Ultimately, the process of developing a strategic plan should result in a sense of ownership, empowering all stakeholders to feel in control of the schools future. Further, the strategic planning process is a proactive way for the school to manage potential threats.4

The Value of Using and Monitoring a Strategic PlanEnsures a path toward fulfilling the vision and missionGives meaning and direction to day-to-day activities for administration and staffEstablishes a value-based means of tracking processIncreases the likelihood of the schools successBuilds a shared vision for all stakeholdersGarners broad-based support

Slide #5 Voice-overBy using a strategic plan, the school ensures that everyone is working toward the same vision, with the same resources, and the same endpoints in mind. The goals and objectives of the strategic plan give meaning and direction to the day-to-day activities at the school, and translates the vision into behavior that can be tracked and monitored. The likelihood of success increases when a school uses a strategic plan by establishing the means to monitor progress toward accomplishing goals. Over time, the strategic plan can be used to garner support from community organizations and to acquire additional funding.5

The Value of a Strategic Plan for the Governing BoardFocus the work of the governing boardEfficient allocation of time and resourcesBetter decision-makingEvaluation toolContinuity and survivalConsensus and ownershipSchool accreditation plan (improvement plan)Grant writing and fundraising

Slide #6 Voice-overThe use of a strategic plan will focus the work of the governing board. Meeting efficiency and effectiveness increase when the governing board uses the strategic plan to establish meeting agendas, guide their behavior, and make decisions. Continuity in the work of the governing board is key to long-term successful oversight, and the use of a strategic plan can ensure survival of the governing boards values and focus as board turn-over occurs. The governing board may further use the strategic plan as an evaluation tool for the school and for the governing board itself. As progress is made and a track record develops, governing board members will find the plan a useful tool when seeking accreditation or additional funding.6

The Strategic Planning TeamKeep the group small and manageable: entire governing board, principal, other key individualsInclude a variety of personalities, backgrounds, and thinking stylesInclude others through indirect meansSession leader should be neutral (not the board chair or principal)

Slide #7 Voice-overThe team should be small and manageable and include individuals with a variety of backgrounds, personalities, and thinking styles. At a minimum, the team should include the governing board, administrator, and other key people, such as a lead teacher or founder. Some schools that have experienced a complete turnover of administration and governing board may ask a member from the original governing board or founding committee to attend the strategic planning session to share the original vision of the school. Other stakeholders in the community may be included through indirect means such a surveys or designated representatives. It is important that the strategic planning session is facilitated by a neutral party to maintain impartiality and balance.7

The Strategic Planning ProcessEnvironmental InventoryStrategy FormulationStrategy Implementation

The strategic plan vs. strategic thinking

Slide #8 Voice-overA strategic plan is typically developed during a board retreat or workshop. There are three basic steps to the process. The first step is to take an inventory of the internal and external environmental factors that impact the school. The next step, strategy formulation, is where the strategic planning team describes the long-term goals and their alignment with the vision and mission. Finally, during strategy implementation, the team will produce annual objectives and strategies in a written plan. The written strategic plan should be a brief but comprehensive document that can be understood by all stakeholders, including parents and community members. Once developed, one governing board member becomes the person responsible for the plan by providing quarterly progress reports to the governing board. The strategic plan then becomes a living document that the governing board must continuously revisit. Strategic thinking is the way the governing board uses, monitors, updates, and changes the plan. The strategic planning document and strategic thinking must come together for successful implementation.

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Slide #9 Voice-overThis slide further illustrates the strategic planning process. This image is meant to show an organization of the components and the general flow of the strategic planning process. In this illustration, the environmental inventory, or analysis, is shown as an examination of the internal and external environment, and is blended into the strategy formulation step of the process. While information gathering for the environmental inventory should be completed by the time the team is ready to formulate a strategy, analysis of that inventory becomes an integral part of forming a strategy and articulating the goals of the strategic plan.9

Environmental InventoryThe S.W.O.T. AnalysisInternal EnvironmentS StrengthsW WeaknessesExternal EnvironmentO OpportunitiesT ThreatsThink in terms ofCompetition and customersPolitical influences and environmentsEconomic conditionsSocial impactsTechnological advancements

Slide #10 Voice-overTo conduct an environmental inventory, the strategic planning team must assemble and analyze the schools strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This is often known as a S.W.O.T. Analysis. Strengths and weaknesses are components of the internal environment at the school. The school has the ability to change these factors through deliberate or designed action. Opportunities and threats are external to the school; however, they may directly influence the school and should be addressed in the strategic plan. When considering the external environment, the governing board should think about who their competition is and what the customers desire. The political, economic, social, and technological influences should be evaluated as well.10S.W.O.T. Analysis GridVision statement: Utah Charter School will be a highly sought after school providing a rigorous educational program within a culture that values strong character and discipline. Students leaving our school will be college and career ready with a strong work ethic and a superior educational foundation.Mission statement: Utah Charter School will achieve its vision through implementing the Core Knowledge Curriculum utilizing project based instruction in an environment that supports strong character. In serving at-risk K - 8 students, we will provide support to students through peer counseling and mediation, one-on-one tutoring, and strong accountability requirements to keep students engaged and invested in their own education.

StrengthsWeaknessesAcademically rigorous curriculumStrong and dedicated administration and staffSafe and disciplined environmentSteady parental involvementDiverse, dedicated, cohesive, visionary governing boardGood reputation in the charter school communityGood technology foundationStrong grant-writing teamCommunity support is strongPTOOpen Court Math ProgramFacility space constraintsDisproportionate level of parental involvement (80/20 rule) between school volunteers and PTOWaning energy and enthusiasmCommunication at all levelsLimited libraryLimited budgetTransportationLack of all-day kindergartenLack of before/after school programOpportunitiesThreatsGrants for library, textbooks, science materials, material resourcesCapital campaignPartnerships with local governmental entities for facilities-related opportunitiesFacility options with current landlord and othersProfessional development for staff and governing boardContinued networking with the school district for a teacher induction programNetworking with the charter school and business communitiesBuilding strong partnerships with the PTOLocal political climateAcademically diverse student population effect on standardized test scoresLocal district increase in test scoresSafety of school community due to traffic issuesLess-than-full funding compared to a district school

Slide #11 Voice-overThe first page of the strategic plan should include the schools vision and mission statements followed by the S.W.O.T. analysis grid. The grid is a summary of the S.W.O.T. analysis of findings that will show, at a glance, the current state of the school. The goals that follow should address these findings by capitalizing on strengths to manage weaknesses, protect against threats, and take advantage of opportunities. Furthermore, the goals should mitigate any identified weaknesses by establishing steps to overcome the schools vulnerabilities. 11

Strategy FormulationExamine the vision and mission statementsIdentify functional areasExamples: Governing Board, educational program, facility, financesOne to three goals for eachComprehensive look at schoolDistributed responsibilityArticulate long-term goalsManageable number of goalsFive to ten year time periods

Slide #12 Voice-overDuring strategy formulation, the strategic planning team should take time to examine the vision and mission statements. The team should start by discussing the following questions: What are the goals described in the mission and vision statements? Is the school in line with the founding statements? Does the school, or do the statements, need to change? In the strategic plan, issues should be separated into several functional areas. For example, the strategic planning team may identify the governing board as a functional area of focus in the strategic plan. Other functional areas may include the educational program, the school facility, or financial health. The strategic planning team may identify five to seven functional areas, and each functional area may then consist of one to three goals. By identifying functional areas of focus, the strategic plan becomes a well-balanced and comprehensive look at the school. In addition, responsibility for accomplishing goals is divided in a manner that becomes manageable for the school and fosters a shared and distributed ownership of the strategic plan. The long-term goals for each functional area should be expressed in five to ten year time periods. There is no magic formula to determine what the exact number of goals should be, however, the strategic planning team should keep the size of the plan reasonable and proportionate to the size of the school. The total number of goals in the strategic plan should be a manageable number that is not intimidating or burdensome.12

Setting GoalsUnderstandableAcceptableFlexibleMeasureableInspirationalSuitableAchievableSMARTSpecific, Measurable, Attainable, Research-based, Time phased

Slide #13 Voice-overWhen writing goals, the strategic planning team should consider several factors about each goal. Goals should be expressed in a manner that is understandable and acceptable with some degree of flexibility. The goals should be worded in a manner than indicates a means for measuring success. Goals must suitable, relate to the values of the school, inspire the school community, and must be achievable for a successful implementation. Schools often use the SMART acronym to guide the goal setting process. SMART stands for goals that are Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Research-based, and Time-phased.13

Strategy ImplementationAnnual objectivesStrategiesIndividuals responsibleStatus and schedule

Slide #14 Voice-overAfter formulating the long-term goals, focus turns to implementation. Long-term goals are broken down into annual objectives. When formulating the annual objectives, the strategic planning team should consider what reasonable amount of progress can be made toward accomplishing the long-term goals. The strategic planning team then selects the functional strategies the school will employ to reach each of the objectives. These strategies may include training, new policies, new instructional materials, and other purchases or staff changes. The team should also note how and by whom progress will be tracked and reported. All of this information is charted on a strategic plan table.14

The Strategic Plan Table

Long Term ObjectivesAnnual ObjectivesStrategiesStatus/Schedule1. Strengthen internal and external community relationsA. Engage community relations committeeB. Establish lunch/playground supportC. Improve relations between governing board and familiesD. Provide support to PTO for planned activitiesA. Develop official plan for community relationsB. Solicit retirees for volunteer helpC. Host "Meet the governing board" functionsC. Recruit parents to serve on subcommitteesD. Attend PTO meetings/functionsD. Include PTO on governing board meeting agendasA. Board/OngoingB. TBDC. OngoingD. Board2. Continue strengthening and developing the governing board. improved board planningA. Improve knowledge of Roberts Rules of Order and Utah's Open & Public Meetings ActB. Attend and participate in trainingsC. Review strategic planD. Perform governing board self-evaluation E. Improve preparation for governing board meetingsF. Review subcommittee needsG. Establish opportunity for team buildingA. Include 5-minute training at each governing board meetingB. 30-minutes board development at each meetingC. Review strategic plan quarterly at governing board meetingD. Review S.W.O.T. results E. Improve timeliness of information for board meeting packetsE. Consent agendaG. Delegate responsibilities to parentsA. Monthly, beginning with July 2013 meetingB. MonthlyC. June of every yearD. Board/OngoingE. Chair/OngoingF. Board/OngoingG. August of each year3. Develop middle school implementation planA. Create a long-term middle school development plan that incorporates all subjects, administration, and d a discipline design modelA. Present middle school plan to governing board for review and feedbackA. Tim - December 2013Slide #15 Voice-overThis is one example of how a strategic planning team may chart the implementation of the strategic plan. The table should include the stated, long-term goals, as well as the objectives and strategies developed during implementation. The final table should be a manageable size that is easy to reference. A table such as this one may fit on as few as one or two pages, but should be no more than four or five pages.15

Documenting the Written Strategic PlanVision and mission statementsEnvironmental inventory results (S.W.O.T. analysis grid)The strategic plan table

Slide #16 Voice-overThe completed strategic plan should contain the vision and mission statements, the environmental inventory results, and the strategic plan table. Again, it is important to remember that the plan should be a manageable size that is easy to reference. When the information is concise and readily available, governing board members can refer to the strategic plan when decisions become difficult. Once complete, the governing board should formally adopt the plan at their next regular business meeting.16

Continuous ImprovementShare the planCommit to using the planRevisit the planEvaluate effectivenessCelebrate accomplishments

Slide #17 Voice-overAs mentioned previously, it is as important to think strategically, as it is to develop a written strategic plan. To that end, the governing board should commit to a continuous improvement model that includes sharing the plan with all stakeholders. The plan should be posted on the schools website if possible, or, at a minimum, copies of the plan should be given to all staff and parents. The board should also commit to using the plan, obtain quarterly monitoring reports on progress toward accomplishing goals, and revise the plan annually to establish new goals, objectives, and strategies. The strategic plan can also be used as a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of the governing board and of the school. Another way the governing board may foster a commitment to the strategic plan is to provide opportunities to celebrate accomplishments along the way.17

SummaryWritten documentComprehensiveManageableSharedValueIn the existence of a planIn the development of the planIn monitoring the planGuiding board actionProactive

Slide #18 Voice-overIn summary, the strategic plan is a written document that maps the schools path to success and, over time, establishes a track record of success. The value of the a strategic plan, beyond the existence of a written document, is found in the process of developing, revisiting, monitoring, and using the plan as a guide for the governing boards actions and focus. By engaging in strategic planning and properly monitoring the plan, a governing board proactively carves a path to success for the school and leads the school community by developing a shared ownership in its success.18