Our public schools are vital to the future of our city. They are organizing institutions for neighborhoods; they attract families to the city, they are the foundations of the strength of our workforce and the engine for the future creativity and responsibility of our citizens. A+ Schools is an empowered advocate for student performance; a voice to speak loudly and clearly about the progress of reform; a means to engage the broader community in order for our schools to improve.
Early in 2008 A+ Schools Board convened to begin developing a new strategic plan. Conducted over five months in 2008, the strategic planning process included board and stakeholder interviews, a board planning retreat, and subsequent planning meetings, with ultimate approval at the organization’s May 2008 board meeting.
Strategic Priority:
Good Governance |
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Strategic Priority:
Family and Community Empowerment |
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Strategic Priority:
Excellent Teaching |
Pittsburgh has a school board it can be proud of—a board that functions effectively is focused on student learning and sets and monitors policy. |
Pittsburgh has a public school system that is accessible, deliberate, transparent, and accountable. |
Excellent classroom instruction will benefit every student in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. |
A+ Role
Convene, engage, educate |
A+ Role
Convene, engage, inform |
A+ Role
Research, engage, advocate |
Strategy
- Engage and inform the community in demanding good governance through Board Watch and through voter education.
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Strategy
- Host regular community meetings/processes to engage parents and the community
- Issue reports on student achievement indicators to provide parents and the community with information with which to hold the district accountable
- Pilot a community organizing effort to build a community-based system for supporting student outcomes.
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Strategy
- Issue a report on a policy area impacting teacher quality in Pittsburgh
- Engage the community and advocate for changes in policies and practices identified in report that impact teacher quality.
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Success Measures
- By 2011 there will be an effective school board evidenced by a strong and effective administration.
- At least 24 School Board meetings per year will be observed by Board Watch volunteers.
- Changes in board governance as evidenced by Board Watch reports
- Increased voter turnout in school board races
- Increase in number of contested school board races
- Findings from on-line longitudinal surveys about public perceptions of school board governance
- Strong Superintendent in place
- School Reform Sustained
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Success Measures
- There will be a PPS protocol for community input into school reform initiatives that is deliberate, inclusive and transparent.
- Average attendance at community meetings will be 100; A+ mailing list will grow by 100% (over 3 years)
- Parent list will grow by 100%; there will be a 20% increase in addresses from city zip codes in the North, West, and South.
- A+ Schools will successfully implement the recommendations from the Campaign for Student Success pilot project at Schaeffer K-8.
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Success Measures
- A policy report on excellent teaching will be issued and will serve as the basis for an advocacy agenda.
- Evidence of policy recommendations will be present in PPS practice, the collective bargaining agreement, and/or classroom teaching.
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Strategic Priority:
Good Governance |
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Strategic Priority:
Family and Community Empowerment |
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Strategic Priority:
Excellent Teaching |
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Success Measures (continued)
- The progress report is distributed to every City household annually
- Every principal in the Pittsburgh Public School will use these reports as a basis for school improvement planning
- Reports on Promise Ready indicators and drop out indicators will be valuable tools for empowering parents and other stakeholders to hold the district accountable for its Plan for High School Excellence.
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Activities |
Activities |
Activities |
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- Hosting regular community meetings (as part of a larger planning process) on school reform initiatives.
- Campaign for Student Success Pilot
- Progress Report
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- Build an excellent teaching partnership
- Collect and analyze data
- Issue reports with policy recommendations
- Engage and educate the community
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- Educate the public on running for office and on candidates
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- Research on Promise Ready indicators and dropout indicators
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- Advocate for policy changes
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Programs and projects being discontinued
- After School – A+ to stay involved, but others have taken leadership role.
- Recognition program – Fundraising and capacity challenges
Organizational Alignment:
A+ Schools will be well managed, progressive and responsive organization.
- The A+ Board will organize into 3 committees aligned with the organization’s strategic priorities. The role of these committees is to guard the strategic priority, evaluate best opportunities for impact; and identify resource needs for the board’s consideration.
- The organization will use the decision filter process for evaluating and assessing future and current projects to insure that the mission and strategic priorities are guarded and that capacity constraints are addressed.
- One professional staff member will be recruited to work toward the implementation of the activities that support the strategic priorities.
- A subleasing arrangement will be sought for the current office space and a new office location will be secured accordingly.
- Sufficient resources will be secured to implement the strategic plan. A three year fundraising plan will be developed.
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