We start by reviewing documents and data, facilitating focus groups and interviews, and surveying internal and external stakeholders.
Documents and Data
- Historical and disaggregated achievement data
- Key data including: student attendance and behavior, staffing hiring/retention rates
- Organizational chart(s) and roles
- Graduate profiles
- Equity plans
- Any previous strategic plan(s)
Focus Groups /Interviews
- Board members
- Superintendent
- Cabinet
- District leaders and managers
- School Administrators
- Teachers
- Support staff
- Community leaders
- Students
- Families/Caregivers
Survey Respondents
- Students
- Staff
- Teachers
- Family
- Community and non-school staff
We recognize the importance of an inclusive, representative process to build community support
More “out-of-the-box” approaches:
- Shadowing students
- Targeted empathy interviews (for students and families)
- Place-based survey distribution
- Town Halls (can be in person or virtual for maximum participation)
- ThoughtExchange or Padlet
To ensure an inclusive process, we recommend tagging on to existing stakeholder events:
- Joining staff meetings to gather staff input
- Utilizing student “advisory” periods for student activities
- Having a QR code to complete the survey at events where families are present (e.g., sporting events)
- Incentives are also great!
Note that all of these can be conducted virtually in addition to in-person and conducted in multiple languages to allow for greater participation.
