Last modified: September 26, 2023

Policy No. 2050 Foundational Elements to District Planning

DownloadPolicy No. 2050 Foundational Elements to District Planning

The following foundational elements are established to guide district planning, prioritization, and implementation:

Vision Statement

A Vision Statement is an aspirational description of what an organization would like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term or long-term future. It is intended to serve as a clear guide for choosing current and future courses of action.

Mission

A Mission Statement is a written declaration of an organization’s core purpose and focus that normally remains unchanged over time.

Properly crafted mission statements

serve as filters to separate what is important from what is not,
clearly state how students/staff/constituents will be served and how, and
communicate a sense of intended direction to the entire organization.

The Mission Statement is consistent with the district’s vision and will focus on a common purpose.

A mission is different from a vision in that the former is the cause and the latter is the effect; a mission is something to be accomplished whereas a vision is something to be pursued for that accomplishment.

The Board of Education takes the lead in establishing the Vision and Mission statements for the district.

Goals, Objectives and Strategies

As an overall concept, Goals, Objectives, and Strategies are increasingly specific methods of implementing the district’s vision and mission. They are significant elements of the plan, established to define the means of governing and administering the district in compliance with district goals. They are definitive statements of intent or direction closely tied to the district’s vision and containing specific outcome(s). The goals will take into account all relevant data (for example: student assessment results, student demographics, disciplinary reports, enrollment trends, facility conditions, finance priorities and constraints, community support, etc.).

For each goal a series of defined objectives will be established that provide measured steps (short, medium and long-range activities or events) toward the completion of the goal. The objectives will address the issues of how to accomplish the goals, set deadlines and identify responsible personnel and resources. Objectives are specific, measurable, time-related and achievable.

Strategies are the means by which goals and objectives will be attained. A strategy can apply to more than one goal: for example, a marketing and public relations strategy may apply to a number of goals.

Variations are permissible and understandable regarding the inclusion of the kind of strategies used to implement the Vision, Mission, and Goals. Effective implementation plans may not necessarily include both Objectives and Strategies. The board will allow flexibility to the superintendent in how the Goals are implemented and accomplished. Objectives, Strategies, Action Plans and other implementation structures shall be applied at the discretion of the superintendent, or designee.

District Goals are established jointly by the Board of Education and senior administration in the district. The accomplishment of the District Goals rests largely upon the superintendent, district/school administrators, and faculty/staff throughout the district.

Accomplishing the Goals, Objectives and Strategies(s)

At least annually in a June board meeting study session, the superintendent will report to the board both the items to be undertaken for the coming year and the work of the past year toward accomplishing the district plan.

The superintendent is authorized, as the chief executive officer of the district, to require the active participation in and accomplishment of the district plan by all schools, departments, and staff in the district.

The superintendent will ensure that the District Progress Report (posted on the PCSD website) will be updated at least annually, and more frequently as new data/information on the established measures become available. Other reports will be available to the Board in accordance with state law and as requested.

School Improvement Plans

Each school in the district is responsible for developing and implementing a School Improvement Plan (SIP) that is aligned with board-district goals. Regulations for School Improvement Plans in the Provo City School District are delineated in Policy 2925.

Approved by Board of Education

September 10, 2013