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Strategic Goal Alignment

LAUSD Strategic Plan

Los Angeles Unified School District. (n.d.). LAUSD: All youth achieving. Los Angeles, CA: Author. Available for members at this link.

This summary of Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) strategic plan outlines the district’s theory of change and identifies the strategies and actions it will take to improve student achievement through a focus on the instructional core—the connection between the teacher, student, and the content of learning. The document also includes the performance meter that LAUSD uses to measure the five central goals articulated in its strategic plan: 100 percent graduation, proficiency for all, 100 percent attendance, parent and community engagement, and school safety. For each goal, the performance meter contains multiple metrics; data from 2007-08 through 2012-13 provide information on the district’s progress towards its key goals.

Los Angeles Unified School District. (n.d.). Strategic plan 2012-2015. Los Angeles, CA: Author. Available at http://www.lausd.net/lausd/offices/Office_of_Communications/LAUSD_Strategic_Plan_2012-2015.pdf

LAUSD’s strategic plan poses five goals—100 percent graduation, proficiency for all, 100 percent attendance, parent and community engagement, and school safety—to help the district ensure that all youth graduate prepared for college and career. To achieve these goals, LAUSD will pursue five key strategies: 1) transforming teaching and learning, 2) ensuring that all employees are effective and focused on student outcomes, 3) providing a portfolio of high-quality schools, 4) ensuring safe and supportive environments, and 5) operating efficiently and transparently. Embedded within these strategies are 17 specific initiatives which span the work of the district and are centered on the instructional core, the interaction among teachers, students, and the content of learning.

Communities for Los Angeles Student Success. (2013, April). Pathways forward: Leadership and priorities of LAUSD. Los Angeles, CA: Author.

This report shares results from an annual stakeholder survey titled “Pathways Forward: Leadership and Priorities of LAUSD.” Over 100 local community leaders from diverse constituencies in Los Angeles participated in this survey. Beyond providing input on district leadership and direction, the data reflect the high priority that community members who completed the survey place on education.  Additional key findings in this report suggest that surveyed community stakeholders value solutions such as marshaling federal, state, and local dollars and utilizing the ingenuity of diverse stakeholders to work in partnership for active education pursuits. Overall, respondents indicated that appropriate resource allocation to promote sound investment is critical and that district priorities were heading in the right direction. 

Long Beach USD Strategic Plan

Long Beach Unified School District. (n.d.) Strategic Plan 2011-2016. Long Beach, CA: Author. Available at https://www.lbschools.net/Main_Offices/Superintendent/Strategic_Planning/docs/LBUSD%202011-2016%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf

Long Beach Unified School District’s (LBUSD) strategic plan outlines its vision for preparing responsible, productive citizens in a diverse and competitive world through shared values, beliefs, and goals. It poses four goals to achieve this vision: 1) all students will attain proficiency in the core content areas, 2) all students will graduate from high school prepared for post-secondary and career options, 3) all departments and sites will provide a safe and secure environment for staff and students, and 4) improved communication throughout the district and community. A list of detailed objectives and strategies follow each goal. The plan emphasizes high expectations for students, parents and staff; respect and integrity in communication and interaction; teamwork; safety; effectiveness and efficiency; and continuous improvement.

Garden Grove USD Strategic Planning

Garden Grove Unified School District. (n.d. ) Garden Grove Unified School District strategic planning process. [PowerPoint slides]. Garden Grove, CA: Author. Available for members at this link.

In the midst of creating their first district-wide strategic plan, Garden Grove Unified District (GGUSD) is seeking input from their stakeholders, including students, parents, the community, and district employees. The superintendent delivers this PowerPoint presentation during planning meetings to generate some of this feedback. The presentation emphasizes GGUSD’s academic growth thus far, outlines how goals and measurable objectives will be developed, and calls for a collaborative approach for student education. With the goals undergoing development, special attention will be paid to academics, socio-emotional development, and college and career success. The presentation concludes with prompts for group discussion focused on generating stakeholders’ opinions on what they view as key to student success.

Garden Grove Unified School District. (n.d.). District strategic plan process: Talking points to drive focus groups. Garden Grove, CA: Author. Available for members at this link.

This document summarizes feedback from GGUSD’s Strategic Plan Survey, administered in spring 2013 to inform the district’s strategic planning process. The talking points provide an overview of staff, students, and parent/community feedback, separated thematically by district strengths and challenges that the district will consider when developing its strategic goals.

Garden Grove Unified School District. (n.d.). Summary of strategic planning parent input session. Garden Grove, CA: Author. Available for members at this link.

This summary of parent input includes feedback collected as part of GGUSD’s strategic planning process. The document provides responses to the following topics: 1) respondents’ favorite thing about GGUSD, 2) areas for improvement in GGUSD, 3) the most important things to ensure students will be successful in school and in life, and 4) methods for communicating the district plan to parents. Responses to the discussion prompts are further segmented into programs, teachers/staff, communication, parent involvement, and business and safety.

CORE Waiver

California Office to Reform Education. (n.d.). Highlights of the joint request for waivers under ESEA section 9401 from eight districts participating in the California Office to Reform Education (CORE). Sacramento, CA: Author. Available at http://coredistricts.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Key-Points-from-the-School-Quality-Improvement-system.pdf

This document summarizes the California Office to Reform Education’s (CORE) Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver request as approved by the U.S. Department of Education in August 2013. With this waiver, CORE is implementing a consortium-wide accountability framework called the School Quality Improvement System (SQIS), which includes academic, social-emotional, and school climate and culture factors. To build capacity across districts, CORE will partner high- and low-achieving Title I schools to share best practices. CORE districts will establish local implementation plans and participate in an annual peer review. An external oversight panel will meet at least twice a year to review district progress.

California Office to Reform Education. (n.d.). Local Control and Accountability Plan and the School Quality Improvement System: Aligning initiatives to achieve common goals. Sacramento, CA: Author. Available for members at this link.

CORE districts are currently implementing the SQIS to drive school improvement and meet the requirements identified in the group’s ESEA waiver. At the same time, California’s new Local Control Funding Formula mandates that all districts in the state develop a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) based on a template approved by the California State Board of Education. Both the SQIS and the LCAP emphasize support for underserved students and give districts flexibility to use resources in ways that best prepare all students for college and careers. This document shows how these two accountability systems align across the academic, social and emotional, and school climate domains through the 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16 school years.