Laying the Groundwork: How to Get Strategic Planning Right

Strategic planning is one of the most important processes a school district will go through. In Texas, it is legally mandated that each public school district operates from a strategic plan. However, whether required or not, a solid strategic plan is crucial to the health of a school system.

Strategic plans help districts define their mission, align stakeholders and hone in on key goals. They inform how administrators and board members allocate resources. When published, a strategic plan allows a school system to publicly disclose objectives and track progress — fostering trust among staff, students and families.

Because strategic plans have such broad ramifications, creating a thoughtful and inclusive process is critical. And since plans typically have a lifespan of around five years, missteps can be costly. With the right approach and partners, leadership teams can make the planning process something that brings their community closer together. In doing so, they will set their district up for long-term success.

The Basics of Planning

There is no universal standard for how often school districts should go through a strategic planning process. School systems usually tackle the process every three to five years — and in Texas, schools are required under statute to present a new plan every five years.

At a basic level, the process involves mobilizing the district — including board members, staff, students, constituents and internal and external partners — to undertake a comprehensive needs assessment.

This allows a school system to identify its overarching goals. These spell out how a district will improve student outcomes, meet community needs and develop its staff. From there, these objectives can be broken down into specific actions the school system will take and metrics it will measure against.

The Key Players

To establish goals, districts need input. That means designing an inclusive process. It may not be possible to engage every voice in the community. That said, the community as a whole must be involved. Similarly, while individual employees may participate to varying degrees, staff and faculty must be represented.

Some districts collaborate with a partner, whereas others lead the process in-house. Both paths can work, although an external consultant does offer several advantages. Planning firms bring a breadth of experience and an understanding of what does — and doesn’t — work within strategic planning.

They also bring clarity. Having a partner who is not personally invested in the results of the process can provide an objective, unbiased lens. External voices can offer a fresh perspective and challenge existing assumptions. This, in turn, ensures the process remains centered on students rather than personal or organizational interests.

Systems of Collaboration

After deciding whether or not to engage an external partner, the district’s leadership team will need to create systems to support the planning process. To incorporate a diverse range of community voices, the superintendent should form a committee comprising representatives from every stakeholder group.

The committee will be responsible for guiding the development of the strategic plan. They will gather data, solicit input from constituents and facilitate discussion.

The committee should meet regularly to share updates and unpack any obstacles. Likewise, committee leadership should establish a process for communicating with — and receiving feedback from — the wider community.

From there, committee members should work together to engage stakeholders through platforms such as town halls, surveys and focus groups. They will use everything they hear and learn to build out the district’s strategic plan.

Clarity and Accountability

Once the strategic planning committee has identified its core focus areas, it must decide how the district will achieve its goals. At this point, many groups choose to form sub-committees that can concentrate their attention on particular areas.

At Southwest Independent School District, one of our priorities for the strategic planning process was to publish a community report card. This tracks where we are on our five-year journey, keeping us accountable for our goals. It also enables us to share progress with constituents transparently.

While our last strategic plan was structured around six objectives, we reduced this to three in our most recent cycle. Each goal focuses on one of three major themes: results, growth and service.

For each goal, we determined three strategic actions we would take to move us toward our targets. By clarifying our vision, we could hone in on the vital elements of our work and clearly articulate our direction.

Valuing the Journey

As leaders in the pre-K-12 space, we can’t predict what will happen over the next five years. But we do need to ensure that our districts have the tools they need to meet — and overcome — each challenge. A strategic plan should set ambitious goals that respond to the issues significantly affecting the district. In addition, it should be fluid enough that if the district needs to make a change, it can.

The worst-case scenario for any school system is that, in two years, they have to approach the process again and thus abandon any forward momentum.

Strategic planning is one of those instances where the journey is just as formative as the finished product. By designing the process well, administrators can position their districts to develop a plan that is both bold and achievable.

When they lean into the journey, district leaders can enhance constituent relationships and welcome unique perspectives. In the process, they’ll learn more about their district’s strengths, their community and how they can help their students succeed.