State Board of Education framing early multiyear strategic plan

An early version of a new strategic plan to steer Hawaii’s mammoth public school system for the next five years or longer has been drafted and will be discussed Thursday at a special meeting of the state Board of Education.

When finalized, the strategic plan will be the primary steering document for the state Department of Education, the only statewide public school system in the nation, which has 258 regular public schools serving more than 156,500 students, with a $2.6 billion operating budget and $576 million capital improvement budget.

The strategic plan also will help to set priorities for Hawaii’s 37 public charter schools, which serve more than 12,100 students, although the state’s charter school commission has its own strategic plan.

The new statewide strategic plan will differ from its predecessors in that it will shape an implementation plan with concrete tasks and metrics that will be reviewed by the board at least annually, making it a “living document,” BOE Chair Bruce Voss said.

“This is the document by which all the public, students, parents can hold us accountable to the changes that will be made in the schools — to reduce the inequities; to retain more experienced teachers, principals and all staff; and to improve facilities, among other things,” Voss added.

Additionally, the plan is unusual for its focus on “extensive community input,” Voss said: More than 900 people attended 15 community meetings held in October and this month to provide their views on how the schools are working well and how they can be improved, and more than 7,700 people responded to a “stakeholder survey.”

The strategic plan in its draft form sets three “consensus priorities”:

>> “High-Quality Learning for All,” which includes “improving student achievement and success” and providing “enhanced learning opportunities and high-quality instruction.”

>> “High-Quality Educator Workforce in All Schools,” which covers “teacher workforce (preparation, recruitment, retention, professional learning, etc.)” and school principal workforce, with the same key issues.

>> “Effective and Efficient Operations at All Levels,” including “fiscal responsibility and equity of resources,” “facilities and infrastructure” and DOE “effectiveness and organization.”

Language for the mission and vision statements are still in progress, with at least two competing versions of the vision statement.

The special meeting is slated to get underway at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Queen Liliuokalani Building, 1390 Miller St., Room 404. It can also be viewed online; go to 808ne.ws/BOE1201 for the link, agenda and materials. During the meeting the board is expected to work toward agreement on the plan’s drafted goals and desired results.

Following a subsequent expected approval at the board’s next meeting, on Dec. 15, the panel plans to release a survey asking for community input on the proposed mission statement, key priorities, goals and outcomes. That input will be considered for a draft that will be published in January for public comment. After revisions a final adoption is expected in February.

Whether the strategic plan should cover five years or six is still being discussed by the board, Voss said. Once the plan is approved, the DOE intends to begin drafting an implementation plan, with the final version expected to be approved in May.