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The planning process is just as important as the plan

Many strategic plans can look the same on paper, but the process and approach to creating your plan can have a profound difference on your district teams and broader community. 

We support districts across the country to build and execute an inclusive, responsive, and effective strategic planning process that fosters alignment, builds trust, and establishes a strong leadership tone and tenure. Districts choose to work with use because:

      We listen for context and to create belonging.
      We adapt for the context of your community and evolve as we learn.
      Our processes lead to sustained change.
Strategic Planning process

Trusted By Districts Just Like Yours

What to Expect When Working With Us

Community Engagement
 
Robust Community Engagement

We help you develop and deploy a variety of community engagement tactics to accurately assess pain points through town halls, focus groups, empathy interviews, and more. We analyze the data for you to anchor your decision-making.

Communications Support

Ongoing Communications Support

We support you in the creation of multiple communications efforts along the way to keep the community abreast of your progress.

Committee Selection

Committee Selection & Effective Decisions

We make sure the decisions happen with the right people, at the right time, and in the right way.

Student Driven Data

Student-Driven Data

We offer a research validated suite of surveys to capture data, including indicators of student achievement and teacher effectiveness.

Professionally Branded Plans

Professionally Branded Plans

We design final strategic plans that are as dynamic and diverse as the communities you serve and represent.

Implementation Guidance

Implementation Guidance

We help you identify immediate next steps and offer long term implementation support to ensure your plan is executed with integrity. 

Realize Real Change

Our clients love working with us because we bring expertise, care, and insights. We focus on engaging your students, staff, and community in ways that not only build the strongest plan possible but also provide the momentum and buy-in needed to implement the plan successfully. 

Our Responsive Approach

The problem with most strategic plans is that they often are created but rarely referenced, can be inaccessible, and inactionable. We help you move from a traditional approach to a responsive strategic planning process.

Responsive Strategic Planning - correct 2

 

Many strategic plans can look the same on paper, but the process and approach to creating your plan can have a profound difference on your district teams and broader community.

survey_-1

Beyond a single survey, we support districts with strategies like: focus groups, town halls, and empathy interviews to capture a wide array of data and include a variety of voices. We analyze the data for you, so you can focus on envisioning a path forward. 

We are the exclusive provider of Tripod Surveys – one of the only research-based surveys that actually ties to student performance and teacher effectiveness. Our surveys get you closer to understanding what’s happening down to the classroom level and make a difference where it really matters - at the student level.

Strategic Planning research-based
Strategic Planning teams

Our approach to community engagement goes several steps beyond surveys, in that we also work with district leaders to determine who are the right people to have on various teams throughout the process. We help you determine who should be in the room and who needs to know what.

Many strategic planning providers offer the design of the plan as the primary form of communication with your staff and broader community. Instead of working in silos and communicating once your plan is complete, we work with districts to develop multiple touchpoints for visibility into the process. We help you craft intentional messaging and think about the timing and format of each update. 

Strategic Planning intentional messaging
Strategic Planning vision

Our work does not end with a published plan. We work with you to identify immediate next steps and offer implementation support to ensure your vision is executed with fidelity and integrity.

Our Strategic Planning Process

PL Process Plan and Align 2

Plan and Align

Start by understanding existing strategic planning beliefs and processes to align on goals, roles, and structure.

SP Process Foundation 2

Foundations

Engage with your community to assess strengths and capabilities while identifying room for growth.

SP Process Design 2

Design

Define a vision and a set of initiatives that prioritize what matters most to your community; create a communication plan.

PL Process Launch 2

Launch

Develop metrics to monitor progress so that you know when you are achieving your goals and when you need to pivot.

“Working with Education Elements, the big piece for us, is they are helping us with a national lens. It’s very easy to do the work when you’re looking at your own work. But we need someone else to look at what else is going on in the world and the country.”

Scott Feder testimonial
Scott Feder

Superintendent
South Brunswinnnck School District, NJ

 

Strategic Planning for Incoming District Leaders

As leadership transitions take place, learn how our unique approach to strategic planning can support incoming leaders by starting their tenure at a new district with active engagement, a dynamic vision, and a culture of trust.

Strategic Planning district leader
Strategic Planning trust
Building Trust Through Strategic Planning

Tensions are high within districts across the country. Learn how strategic planning can foster trust, repair relationships, and re-engage both internal teams and the broader community. 

Budget Planning & Addressing Efficiencies Through District Strategy

Districts nationwide are navigating financial challenges: from the ending of ESSER funding to tax and budget cuts. Learn how we can help your district design for change with strategies to navigate budgetary shifts.

Strategic Planning funding

Examples of Strategic Planning in Schools

Below you'll find a sampling of recent strategic plans we have supported through our customized, responsive approach to strategic planning.

Strategic Planning Resources

WHITE PAPER

white paper


Strategic Planning Prioritization Guide

Download
GUIDE

guide


A Comprehensive Strategic Planning Guide

learn more
BLOG

blog


The 4 Biggest Questions You Need to Ask Before You Start Strategic Planning

Read More
Video

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Strategic Planning in South Brunswick School District

Watch Video

Ready to design a strategic plan as unique as your district?