This is an actual case study of Strategic Planning by DMC. Learn more about DMC's In-District Strategic Briefing and Facilitation offerings
After several years of strong achievement growth, a slight dip in scores led this DMC Member District to re-examine its strategic plan in order to ensure a return to achievement growth. External stakeholders and an academic review had suggested a lack of accountability in the district, and a draft accountability plan written by the district had recently been rejected as inadequate. The confidence problem was exacerbated by funding cuts and an inexperience at the principal level. The Superintendent and his leadership team were struggling to understand how to ensure their partners, and themselves, that their plan for the district would guarantee a return to growth.
DMC began by talking to the Superintendent, the leadership team, and the variety of external stakeholders, all of whom had different definitions of what an “accountability plan” should include. We then embarked on a process to develop a specific and actionable accountability plan for the district. The goal would be to link the district’s strategic objectives to clear and specific goals, and then to link those goals to initiatives & programs, timelines, and people within the district that would be responsible delivering results. In addition, DMC set out to define a clear process and timeline for increasing accountability for Central Office employees, principals, and teachers to reach their objectives.
After an intensive four month process, the Superintendent’s leadership team produced a specific and actionable accountability plan for the district. The plan clearly linked strategic initiatives to specific and measurable goals, and clearly spelled out roles and responsibilities for central office and school-based leadership. It made roles and expectations clear, and paved the way to implement a stronger evaluation process to hold each employee accountable for progress.
