6: Set Goals & Monitor Implementation

Set Goals

School-wide goals need to be set with the whole staff before the actual writing of the plan commences. Goals are intended outcomes of the vision. They are stated in broad, general, abstract, and largely measurable terms. We should have only two or three school goals. Write each broad goal on the top of a piece of chart pad paper. Example: All students will be proficient in all subject areas.

Goals should:

• Give the school a long-term vision.
• Be realistic.
• Drive action to the purpose and vision of the school.
• Have at least one objective that describes how the goal will be measured.
• Help the school reach district and state goals.

Goals should not:

• Specify how the schools will achieve the goal.

Benefits of goal setting:

• Achieve more.
• Improve performance.
• Increase motivation to achieve.

Identify Objectives

Draft objectives that will close the gap for each of the goals. Objectives are goals that are redrafted in clearly tangible terms, to close gaps. They must be grounded in the data. Objective statements are narrow, specific, concrete, and measurable. When writing objectives, it is important to describe the intended results, rather than the process or means to accomplish them. Write each objective on a large self-stick notes and place under the appropriate goal that is written on the chart pad paper. Objectives are SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Trackable.

Example: The percentage of grade four students achieving the reading comprehension standard will increase from 80 to 90 by Spring 2014.

Determine How the Objectives will be Measured

Objectives are measurable statements. Determine what assessment tools and strategies will be used to know if the objectives are being met or have been met. Example: The percentage of grade four students achieving the reading comprehension standard will increase from 80 to 90 by Spring 2014, as measured by the state reading assessment exam.

Identify and Group Strategies to Achieve the Objectives

Brainstorm and discuss different strategies to reach the objectives, making sure the vision is reviewed and contributing causes of the gap(s) have been analyzed. Your comprehensive data analysis will provide aggregated commonalities to consider as well. Group the strategies under the objectives.

Example: To increase the number of students reading on grade level by 10 percent, the strategies might include:

• professional learning in teaching reading for all teachers.
• study how reading is successfully taught in other locations.
• coach each other to implement new strategies.
• determine how to implement standards at every grade level.

Actions Required to Implement the Strategies

Below each strategy, list the actions that need to be accomplished to implement the strategies (i.e., study the learning standards, study the research on reading, review the student-level data).

Arrange Strategies and Activities

Arrange the strategies and activities in chronological order. (Keep the version for later reference and fine-tune the plan in chronological summary form, starting with the action to be taken first.)

Determine How Achievement of the Actions Will Be Measured

For each activity, determine how you will know if the action is being implemented and the impact of its implementation.

Use a Planning Template

Using a planning template, label columns—strategy/action, person responsible, measurement, resources, due date, and timeline. Place the reorganized strategies and actions in the action column in a manner that is easiest for staff to utilize later. In the column next to each action, identify the person ultimately responsible for the action. Try not to use team names like Language Arts Action Team in the person responsible column. Accountability is most effective if the responsibility is delegated to an individual. Responsible persons determine how accountability reviews are conducted, and how to talk with one another about fostering and demonstrating accountability (example template is shown at the bottom of Figure L-1 in Appendix L)

Establish Due Dates

In the column next to “person responsible,” write in the due dates. For each strategy or activity (depends on the topic and structure for implementation), determine when the activity absolutely must be completed. In the columns that represent months, weeks, and sometimes days, make notations that will indicate when each activity will begin and when it will be completed, by showing an “X” in the cell. Indicate the duration by marking a line between the “Xs” across the months.

Determine Resources

Determine the resources required of each strategy and activity. This budget, developed in conjunction with the CSI plan, will determine the financial feasibility of the actions for each year. Alterations are made simultaneously and balanced back and forth, while looking for items that can leverage other items. Dollars sometimes limit activities. School staff are often surprised, however, to discover that many times what they have to spend is equivalent to what they can do in a year’s time. If the latter does not hold true, the school staff have important and specific information (i.e., the vision, plan, and budget) to utilize in seeking additional support for their efforts. Note that the budget plan is a part of the CSI plan and that all school funds are used with the one resulting CSI plan. Everything in the school should be working toward that one CSI plan and the one school vision. The planning team must have a clear understanding of all budget resources.

Refine the Plan

With the first draft of the plan complete, review the elements and the big picture of the plan. Below are some guiding questions:

• Will this plan lead to improved student learning?
• Will this plan help implement the vision?
• Are the objectives about improved student learning for all students?
• What evidence do we need to know if the objectives are being met?
• Will the strategies lead to attainment of the objectives?
• Do the strategies address contributing causes?
• Are there strategies/actions that can be further collapsed?
• Will all staff members know what is expected of them?
• Does the plan include new learnings required of staff? If so, has training and support been incorporated for each area?
• Are the time frames realistic?
• How will you keep the ultimate goal of improved student learning for all students at the forefront of everything you do?
• How often will the plan and strategies be monitored?
• Whose job is it to monitor the implementation of the plan?
• How will new staff members learn about the plan?

Communicate the Plan

Determine how the continuous school improvement plan will be documented, communicated, reported, and updated. Communicate progress toward the attainment of the school improvement goals and objectives in newsletters, staff bulletins, websites, and bulletin boards.

Monitor the Implementation of the Plan

A part of refining the continuous school improvement plan is ensuring that everything in the plan is aligned to the implementation of the vision, including the leadership structure, curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional learning, etc. When staff begin to implement the plan, all parts of the plan need to be monitored, regularly. The measurement column for the strategies and activities provide a means for monitoring. We recommend that the Leadership Team check the plan for implementation each month, remembering that implementation of a continuous improvement plan requires collaboration and flexibility on the part of the monitors.

The guides and forms below will assist you as you begin the process of setting school improvement goals.