“Strategic planning does not deal with future decisions. It deals with the futurity of present decisions.” Peter Drucker
“Successful strategic planning:
- leads to action
- builds a shared vision that is values-based
- is an inclusive, participatory process in which board and staff take on a shared ownership
- accepts accountability to the community
- is externally focused and sensitive to the organization’s environment
- is based on quality data
- requires an openness to questioning the status quo
- is a key part of effective management.” Guiding principles of strategic planning, from The Support Centers of America.
Good business practices say we need to do a 3,4, and 5 year strategic business plan that INCLUDES a solid financial plan. Unfortunately, the District is only required to do a 3 year plan, which is actually more a financial statement projection than a true strategic business plan. In addition, the County Board of Education, which has oversight, ONLY has financial oversight and not academics, or stupidity oversight. As long as the District can show it’s solvent, they can not intervene regardless of the methods by which the District got there. Namely, the District could cut any and all academic programs and pass the oversight if the revenues match the expenses with the legally required reserves.
This is a HUGE problem in today’s severe economic climate whereby revenues to the District from the State are expected to continue to decrease. My research says, in 2015, we may get back to 2007 levels. The most current financial projection I saw posted from the District, shows, without Board intervention to cut expenses, an 89 million dollar deficit for 2010/11 (which we know, AND, an over 200 million dollar deficit for 2011/12 – which nobody is talking about, AND, another huge deficit in 2012/13). So, how can a budget without a 5 year strategic plan, in point of fact, not really even a 3 year strategic business plan, truly meet the criteria established above (from the Support Centers of America) and help us manage and understand the futurity of those decisions being made today?
Can’t be done – yet, the District still has no strategic plan in place, nor, as far as I can tell: no plan to plan. This is my concern about a lack of leadership and lack of vision that is desperately needed to protect our kids into the future and to stop the annual, seemingly indiscriminate, hacking of budget line item expenses WITHOUT looking at the effects, ramifications, and possible alternatives and solutions. Again, how do we protect our kids and provide for a quality education K-12?
STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLANNING! We must plan for an uncertain future.
To add another apropos quote: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin
