The place to start in strategic planning is to assess your district's readiness to engage in the overall process. Use the following checklist to gauge your district's readiness to begin strategic planning. Keep in mind that this is not a substitute for careful analysis of the conditions under which strategic planning will take place. Use this as a tool that will help you to identify key issues that can help or impede the process.

4 My board usually focuses on new challenges and issues instead of waiting for emergencies to react.

4 My board focuses more on policy than management or curricular issues.

4 My board seeks community input on decisions.

4 My board uses data in making its decisions.

4 My board recognizes that a change in one part of the organization usually calls for a change in another part.

4 My board usually reaches decision by consensus after some debate.

4 My board is knowledgeable about what other districts are doing to achieve change.

4 My board uses its regular meetings in an effective manner.

4 Conflict among board members is dealt with in a straight-forward and assertive manner.

4 The superintendent and district staff are trusted by the board.

4 The superintendent and district staff are knowledgeable about current trends in educational reform.

4 The superintendent and district staff seek community input to decisions.

4 The superintendent and district staff are effective managers of human and fiscal resources.

4 Our community is knowledgeable about what is needed for good education.

4 Our community does a good job of letting us know what it needs and wants.

4 Our community is more concerned about educating children than saving money.

4 Our community has a long-term way of looking at things.

(The above list is excerpted from the Washington State School Directors' "Passport to Leadership" program materials.)

In this Module:

In the Toolkit: