Dublin City Schools' Strategic Plan

8/24/2015 - 9/28/2020

Overview

Dublin City Schools Strategic Planning Report 

Page 3 June 22, 2015 

Strategic Improvement Planning Executive Summary 

The Board of Education of the Dublin City Schools voted to use a process developed by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) and Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) to develop an updated strategic improvement plan for the school district. This comprehensive process engaged the community and all stakeholder groups to create universal ownership and support for district and school improvement. Highlights of the process include:&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul id="lst_1" style="list-style-type: disc;">
 <li>A comprehensive community engagement component to allow stakeholders to have a voice in the strategic improvement planning process&nbsp;</li>
 <li>&nbsp;A diverse planning team that represented stakeholder groups to develop the plan </li>
 <li>A facilitated planning process that assisted the planning and action teams in analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the school district and developing/defining the mission, vision, beliefs, goal areas and elements of the strategic improvement plan </li>
 <li>A facilitated process to work with experts within the district and community on developing initiatives and action steps to implement the plan </li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<img alt="" width="905" height="597" style="width: 733px; height: 368px;" src="https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Services/GetFile?endid=xDV2oE6GmZslshIA2CSk0RJ2g==&fid=F8AFD6D4-560F-E911-80D6-1418775F08AD">
&nbsp;
The strategic improvement planning process follows a continuous improvement cycle designed around the five questions listed in the visual above. This process begins with a community engagement session and survey of stakeholders. The entire process usually takes 8-10 months to complete and is divided into the following phases. 
Phase I 
Community Engagement: In April 2015, the strategic improvement planning process began with a community engagement session, involving representatives from all stakeholder groups and a stakeholder survey to gather vital input from the community. 
Planning Team: In April 2015, a group of 34 people representing stakeholder groups from the school board, central office, schools, parents, students, business and other community representatives were assembled to answer the questions: "Who are we?", "Where are we now?", and "Where do we want to go?". Specific outcomes include a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, reviewing and revising the district&rsquo;s beliefs, mission and vision and developing a plan framework including strategic goal areas, performance objectives, a strategy map and strategy statement. 
Action Teams: In June 2015, four smaller teams totaling 26 people met to answer the question "How will we know when we have arrived?" The action teams looked at each proposed strategic goal area and draft performance objectives and developed measures and targets to answer this question. Additionally, the action teams began to look at the initiatives and action steps that might be needed to answer the fourth question of the GSBA Strategic Improvement Planning Process, "How do we plan to get there?" 
Phase II 
GSBA/GLISI Report to the Board of Education: In July 2015 the report of the strategic improvement plan will be presented to the board. The board will review the report, offer input and consider approval of the plan for 2015-2020 
Phase III 
Alignment: The plan initiatives and action steps will be aligned to the district and to the school budget, as well as board, superintendent and leader evaluations. Additionally, school improvement plans and other system action plans will be aligned with the new strategic improvement plan. 
Phase IV 
Execution, Monitoring and Reporting: After alignment of the plan, district and school staff in conjunction with the board will execute, monitor, and report on the plan, as well as, ensure an ongoing process to review and update the plan as needed. 
Dublin City Schools Commitment to Ongoing Process: Action Team performance measures and suggested initiatives/action steps have been documented for follow-up. These suggested initiatives/action steps are not inclusive of school-based initiatives that may be developed to support and meet specific established goals. In keeping with the school district&rsquo;s philosophy, there will be continued focus on systemic processes and goals to improve the district, but differentiated models are encouraged at the local school levels. Where needed, a task force will be created to further explore suggested system level strategies and initiatives. School-based governance and leadership teams are in place to foster the development of appropriate action items in support of school-based initiatives to support and meet specific established goals, performance measures and strategic priorities. 
&nbsp;