Tuesday, 16 August 2011 11:24
Check your mailboxes! The latest issue of the District Management Journal is about to arrive. As schools start up again, we reflect on how to use available resources most effectively for student outcomes, and we hope these articles provide you and your colleagues some new insights. Despite the slow recovery of our country’s economy, DMC member districts continue to lead with new ideas about how to do more with less. Our new issue of The District Management Journal highlights some of these approaches.
The Spotlight and Manager’s Toolkit emphasize the importance of crafting an effective theory of action to meaningfully propel district strategic planning and execution. A clearly articulated theory of action can help district leaders to foster stakeholder understanding and buy-in, and can also be instrumental in improving resource allocation. There is no single “right” theory of action; DMC favors a context specific approach. We hope this article spurs deep conversation about your district’s strategies and focus.
Superintendent Hector Mendez of Ector County Independent School District (Texas) shares his team’s successes in executing on a strategic plan. This feature article examines how large-scale strategic planning initiatives can be moved rapidly from the aspirational realm to the real world of getting things done. Mendez’s work in building a high-functioning team has been critical to the district’s success, as has redesigning the processes that the team uses to do its work.
Two DMC case studies round out this issue, each focusing on additional aspects of successful planning. Texas’ San Antonio Independent School District showcases how a strategic approach to communications and community engagement helped pass a bond referendum in difficult economic times. Second, Moore County Schools (North Carolina) demonstrates how strategic planning can help shift career and technical education delivery to meet community needs more closely.
