Baldrige Strategic Planning: The Six Packets

Beginning in 1998, the Ohio Department of Education encouraged districts on Academic Watch (AW) and Academic Emergency (AE) to join a prototype group to initiate continuous improvement planning. Consultants from every part of the state and country landed in Ohio to help districts spend the 4,000 that was made available by ODE to support this strategic planning prototype. In a parallel, but not necessarily related, effort ODE sought to shape the form and structure of what came to be known as the "Continuous Improvement Plan. (CIP)" with its fourteen (14) components. Outside consultants brought with them systems for "strategic planning" that included Kappa Delta Pi's model, the North Central Accreditation model and many others. Many school district's engaged these consultants, engaged faculty and constructed plans. However, what became evident in the Fall of 2000 was that the CIP format developed and required by the Ohio Department of Education was a more proficiency outcome focused document with many more expectations for documenting the development of the "CIP." Thus, many districts participating in the first round of 1998-1999 strategic planning had to revisit the process and restructure their work consistent with the new Ohio CIP document. It was the view of the Ohio Department of Education that individual school plans should support the larger district continuous improvement plan and take into account student and stakeholder needs. Goals and measures in the district and building plans should focus on student achievement. This requirement was much more focused than the larger concept of a strategic plan, as most educators understand them to be.

Our comments and suggestions are in italics.

Baldrige vocabulary is in Bold.

"New Features" of the 2001 Operating Standards Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement Section 3301-35-03 Ohio Revised Code.

Strategic planning, based on the needs of current and future students and stakeholders is required for all districts. For those districts that are also required to develop a continuous improvement plan (CIP), these two plans may be incorporated into one planning effort.

Continuous improvement planning as required by Senate Bill 55 is required for districts designated as academic emergency, academic watch, and continuous improvement.

What is Different in Strategic Planning Between the 1983 Minimum Standards and the 2001 Operating Standards for Ohio Schools.

Districts are required to update courses of study as needed vs. every five years.
Adds references to learning and performance objectives, assessing the need for intervention, addressing the developmental needs of students, and being guided byOhiomodel curriculum programs and/or career and technical core standards.
Phonics is listed asanapproach to teaching reading.
Abstinence must be part of the health education instruction.
Human relations education, multicultural education, and study skills are no longer mentioned, but are left to the discretion of the district.
Deleted the requirement for lesson plans; however, if a district or school policy requires work plans to be developed for any units of individuals within the district or school, all such work plans shall align with district and school goals.
Interim reports are no longer specified: however, schools shall communicate to parents on a regular basis regarding information about student attendance, conduct and academic performance.
Promotion to eighth grade no longer requires one-half year ofOhiostudies, but does require one year of American History.
Credits for graduation increase from 18 to 21 and now require passage of proficiency test.
Updated to include honors diploma.
High school credit continues to be awarded on basis of 120 hours of coursework except that laboratory courses require 150 for a credit and physical education requires 120 hours for one-half credit.
High school credit may be granted for advanced courses taken below the 9th grade.
Subjects are no longer required to be taught as separate organized classes or to meet at least 2 times a week.
While subjects to be taught are specified, the grade levels are not.
Minutes of instruction for subjects in grades K-8 are not specified. This allows schools the flexibility of assigning instructional time in a manner that best meets the learning needs of their students.
High schools are no longer required to offer at least 45 scheduled units. Every student should be provided with sufficient opportunities to acquire the knowledge and skills to needed to earn a diploma or an honors diploma.
Distance learning is added. No limit on the number of educational option units that a student may apply toward credit for graduation.
Educational programs are no longer required to be evaluated every five years. Instead, all districts shall periodically conduct a comprehensive review of their educational programs and organizational effectiveness. These reviews are to be scheduled in a way that generates timely data for continuous improvement in both student and organizational performance.
A criminal records check is now part of the recruitment and hiring process.

The Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement Expectations in the 2001 Ohio Operating Standards.

3301-35-03 Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement.

(A) "The proper organization, administration and supervision of a school district or school requires effective strategic planning. A strategic plan guides the district or school and key stakeholders in the on going measurement of district or school performance to assure adequate progress is being made toward strategic goals and objectives. Strategic planning identifies short and long range goals and the strategies necessary to achieve them. Strategic planning is the responsibility of the board of education, the superintendent and other key stakeholders. "

    (1) Effective strategic planning is

        (a) based on the needs of current and future students and other stakeholders of the district; and (this is proficiency data)

        (b) used to develop strategic goals and objectives for the district or school that are well defined and have a specific time table for being met. (these are the statements that many of you currently have in your CIPs that include benchmark proficiency scores and timetables for reaching compliance)

    (2) Schools and districts shall develop short and long term strategies that align with the goals and objectives. If district or school policy requires work plans to be developed for any units or individuals within the district or school, all such work plans shall align with district and school goals. (This is your implementation plan)

    (3) Schools and districts shall identify and use key internal performance targets, performance of similar schools and districts, benchmarks, and other specific measures to track performance on work plans and strategic goals and objectives. (This is the data provided by ODE on proficiency comparisons)

    (4) Strategic goals and objectives, short and long term strategies and internal performance targets, benchmarks and other measures shall be communicated to all stakeholders. (This is the annual advisory panel meeting that is advertised and meets for the benefit of the community)

(B) Districts designated as continuous improvement, academic watch or academic emergency by the state's performance accountability system pursuant to section 3302.03 of the revised code shall develop strategic plans that meet the requirements of paragraph (A) of this rule and include a three-year continuous improvement plan pursuant to section 3302.04 of the revised code.

    (1) Districts designated as academic watch or academic emergency shall: (a) adopt and implement a continuous improvement plan as specified in Rule 3301-56-01 of the administrative code and (b) be subject to intervention procedures specified in Rule 3301-56-01 of the administrative code.

    (2) Districts designated as CI, AW or AE shall achieve certain minimum performance goals as specified in Rule 3301-56-01 of the administrative code.

    (3) The Ohio Department of Education shall evaluate AW or AE districts on the progress toward achieving the minimum performance improvement goals pursuant to Rules 3301-50-01 and 3301-56-01 of the Administrative Code.

    (4) The Ohio Department of Education shall provide technical support and assistance to academic watch and academic emergency districts in the development and implementation of their continuous improvement plans.

What are the Steps to Performance Excellence in âBaldrige Strategic Planning?â

A common set of goals and measures based on valid customer requirements (e.g. high student achievement, safe learning environment, effective and efficient operation, high performing work force.

What is "Baldrige Strategic Planning" in Your District?

Strategic planning looks at the process used to develop school plans and how the daily work in the school aligns with the school plan. Also examined is how the plans are translated into action. The planning process provides an opportunity for stakeholders to work together in translating state and district expectations into specific direction for the school. Clear measurable goals and a results-orientation provide the focal point for effective teamwork and appropriate action to achieve goals. A school would have a School Improvement Team lead by the principal that is comprised of teachers, support staff, parents and a business partner. The team regularly analyzes school data to identify performance gaps. These gaps are considered opportunities for improvement and become the basis for the goals and measures in the school improvement plan. Every employee uses the school improvement plan as a guideline for personal action plans that guide daily work.

The least desirable condition would be where there was little staff knowledge of buy-in for continuous improvement. The CIP has been submitted and filed, but there has been no active implementation. The next level would be the condition where few staff can articulate the vision/mission and priorities of the district. Some staff could be found implementing portions of the CIP. A more advanced level would be where the vision and mission, and priorities are clear to most staff. Many staff, especially teachers and administrators, are engaged in some aspects of implementation. The most desirable condition is where the vision is implemented and articulated across grade levels, programs and services. All staff can identify their role in supporting implementation.

Key "Strategic Planning" Questions to Use as Quality Reflective Tools.

1) What is your strategic planning process? (include the steps and key participants)

2) How do you consider the following key factors in your process: 1) current and future student/stakeholder and market needs/expectations; 2) external factors, requirements and opportunities; 3) budgetary and other potential risks; 4) faculty and staff capabilities and needs; 5) overall operational capabilities to meet stakeholder and student needs;6) resource needs and availability.

3) What are your key strategic/longer term objectives and your timetable for accomplishing them? How do you evaluate options to assess how well they respond to factors most important to your performance?

4) How do you develop action plans that address key strategic objectives?

5) What are your key faculty and staff resource requirements and plans, based on your strategic objectives and action plans?

6) How do you allocate resources to ensure accomplishment of your overall plan?

7) What are you key performance measures and/or indicators for tracking progress relative to your action plans?

8) How do you communicate and deploy your strategic objectives, action plans, and performance measures/indicators to achieve overall organizational alignment?

9) What are your two-five year projections for key performance measures and /or indicators?

10 ) How does your projected performance compare with comparable organizations, key benchmarks, and past performance, as appropriate? What is the basis for these comparisons?

"Baldrige Strategic Planning" in the Classroom

The classroom teacher involves students in planning designed to identify and meet educational needs of the classroom and support the school improvement plan.
The classroom teacher provides for the development of classroom goals and measures that are aligned to the next grade level expectations and the school improvement plan.
The classroom teacher allocates time and resources consistent with the goals and measures of the classroom plan.
The classroom teacher develops a plan that includes stretch goals which focus on student achievement.

A typical "Classroom Learning System Improvement Plan" that has been aligned with a school and district improvement plan would ask the following questions:

1) What am I going to do?

2) What category of Baldrige does it address?

3) What district and school goal does it align to?

4) Why is it important?

5) What will I use as a measure?

6) How am I going to do this?

7) What information and data will I need?

8) What resources and or training do I need?

9) How will I share success with my team?

Dougâs Tip:

WOW! This is a beauty...............No teacher in their right mind is going to begin the academic year by involving students in setting educational goals. Most teachers require the first week of school to establish influence, gain large group cooperation and rehearse important classroom routines that will serve the group over the course of 185 days. Students come to most classrooms looking for the teacher to have already selected educational needs. The alignment with prior and next grade level instructional goals is very important. There are many instructional and interpersonal goals that both the teacher and the students need to have met early in the academic year. Clearly what is critical here is ALIGNMENT. What was taught and learned last year? What will be taught and learned next year? How do we align our time and resources to accomplish what needs to be taught this year? Are we accomplishing our instructional goals this year? Are students learning what they need to?

How is "Baldrige Strategic Planning" Evaluated?

There are three categories and five levels of performance. The three categories are:

1) School goals are aligned to the requirements of the students and other stakeholders.

2) Stakeholders work with other school employees and stakeholders to develop action plans to accomplish school goals.

3) Grade level, department, and classroom plans are aligned to school goals.

The five "Levels of Performance" for each of the three categories are:

1) Our district has not yet developed a specific approach to meet each criteria requirement. (1 point)

2) Our district has developed approaches that are consistent with Best Practices and are rarely implemented on a consistent basis in most schools. (2 points)

3) Our district approaches are widely implemented. They are sometimes implemented systematically in a few schools (3 points)

4) Our district approaches are usually systemic in most schools. Critical system connections exist between this category and all other quality categories. (4 points)

5) Our district approaches have had regular cycles of improvement. (5 points)

Thus, there is a maximum of 15 points that can be accumulated in this category because there are three categories X five points per category.

Strategic Planning Summed Up.

The process for determining goals and measures should be inclusive. Many districts have district wide curriculum councils or administrative team meetings. Many school buildings have "leadership teams." What makes this team different is the wider inclusion of more stakeholders. Parents are rarely included in building advisory teams.

This is why the CIP development process requires the active identification, engagement and documentation of so may diverse members of the school community on the CIP Advisory Panel. Baldrige Strategic Planning can include the district's Continuous Improvement Plan, but not all CIPs are the sum total of the district strategic plan. Measurable CIP goals should focus on proficiency test outcomes and opportunities for improvement. District Strategic Plans can go farther and be more broad in scope. A district's strategic plan may include many other goals including variables such as building and grounds, transportation, public relations at the like. What is important is ALIGNMENT. The districts CIP goals should be reflected in school building CIPs. The Action Plans of individual teachers should reflect the school building goals and finally the goals and measures of each classroom should reflect the building goals. A school district that has aligned district CIP goals with building CIPs, teacher professional development and daily lesson planning is implementing Baldrige Strategic Planning.

Focus on Students and Stakeholders