The Strategic Planning and Organizational Development Component

The Strategic Planning and Organizational Development Component initially focuses on assessing the organizational climate, administrative style, staff decision-making, and other interactive processes at a Project ACHIEVE school, and moves eventually into the development of needed organizational patterns and interactions that facilitate and support the academic and social progress of the school's student body.  This is accomplished by using community, environmental, and organizational needs assessment procedures and techniques; evaluating the current efficacy of existing student assessment and intervention programs; and integrating school improvement processes into the School Improvement Plan.

More specifically, Project ACHIEVE helps schools to assess their strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities, and to implement strategies that build capacity and autonomy, identify and focus resources, facilitate stability and sustainability, and result in student, staff, and system success.

Project ACHIEVE Outcomes for this Component:

1. Effective School Improvement Plans
2. Comprehensive Planning for Elementary and Secondary Education (ESEA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Success
3. Resource Mapping and Identification and Personnel Analysis and Management
4. Organizational Development and Strategic Planning Consultations
5. Effective School Committee Organization and Team Building
6. Training Facilitators to Build System Capacity and Sustainability

Strategic Planning and Organizational Development Tools and Resources

The District and School Leadership Teams are key to the success of any strategic planning and organizational development initiative.  Indeed, these teams’ ability to guide organizational capacity, effective committee and staff processes, and academic and behavioral supports and interventions are critical to the success of all students, but especially at-risk, underachieving, unsuccessful, and unresponsive students.

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What is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning is a continuous, systematic process that helps schools and districts to anticipate and plan their annual and multi-year goals and activities by analyzing their system-specific strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities, as well as those of their communities.  Designed to increase organizational and staff capacity and resources while facilitating outcomes, strategic planning involves ongoing activities whereby schools and districts:

1. develop, implement, and evaluate programs and activities designed to meet their mission, goals, and student-related outcomes;
2. track their needs, plans, and progress over time,
3. analyze and decide what programs, curricula, or interventions to add, delete, substitute, or supplement to existing programs, while determining when and how to make the “mid-course adjustments” to maximize these programs’ success; and
4. anticipate and respond to upcoming or future events that may affect them in their pursuit of educational excellence.

Ultimately, strategic planning uses a systems perspective to the organization and execution of the educational process emphasizing effective and efficient data-based planning and decision-making, personnel and resource development and management, fiscal and technological integrity, and school and community integration.

What are the Steps in Strategic Planning?

Phase I:    Preparing for Planning and Change
Phase II:  Developing the Goals and Outcomes of the Strategic (or School Improvement Plan)
Phase III: Outlining the Strategic Plan's Implementation Process
Phase IV:  Implementing and Monitoring the Plan
Phase V:   Evaluating and Renewing the Plan