District Profile

Name Your Plan

Name your plan to save progress. Return any time to continue building.

Every great plan starts with understanding where you are. We'll capture your district's demographics, performance data, and current challenges so we can build a strategy that's grounded in reality. Search for your district below to get started.

Search for Your District (Optional Auto-Fill)

If your district is not found, fill out the information below. Nothing is required, but the more you provide, the stronger your strategic plan will be.

District Name

Location (City/County)

Total Student Enrollment

Number of Schools

Teacher Count

Student-Teacher Ratio

Demographic Profile

Free/Reduced Lunch Rate (%)

IEP Rate (%)

English Learner Rate (%)

Students of Color (%)

Performance Indicators

Graduation Rate (%)

Reading Proficiency (%)

Math Proficiency (%)

Chronic Absenteeism Rate (%)

Suspension Rate (%)

Course Failure Rate (%)

Resources & Context

Child Poverty Rate (%)

Teacher Retention Rate (%)

Per-Pupil Expenditure

Template Library

Start from a research-backed template instead of a blank canvas. Templates pre-fill vision, mission, values, domains, and goals based on your district profile.

Stakeholder Engagement

Strategic planning is stronger when it's shaped by the people it serves. This step helps you identify who to involve, when to bring them in, and how to gather meaningful input before you start building your plan.

1

Understand the Strategic Planning Model

To Do

Strategic planning requires collaboration between the board and administration across three phases. The board takes higher strategic responsibility early on, while administration leads implementation. Review the model below to understand who should be involved and when.

2

Plan Your Stakeholder Convenings

To Do

Use the toolkit below to plan who you'll convene, when, and for what purpose. The tool recommends stakeholder groups based on research and best practice.

3

Generate Stakeholder Data Packet

To Do

Generate a printable data packet for stakeholders to review before your convening. It includes your district profile, performance data, and key challenge areas so stakeholders can come prepared to give informed input.

Tip: Complete Step 1 (District Profile) first so the data packet includes your district's actual performance data. The more data you enter, the richer the packet.

4

Launch Pre-Plan Stakeholder Survey

To Do

Launch a short survey to gather stakeholder input on district strengths, challenges, competencies, goals, and priorities. Share the QR code at your convening or distribute the link digitally. Responses feed directly into your plan.

5

Review & Apply Stakeholder Input

To Do

Once responses come in, review the analysis below. The system identifies themes, highlights mismatches between AI recommendations and stakeholder input, and suggests adjustments to your plan.

Upload External Survey Results

If you collected responses through an external tool, upload the CSV here.

Browse for CSV file

Expected columns: role, strengths_agree, challenges_agree, competency_suggestion, goal_priority, initiative_preference

Vision & Mission

Your vision describes the future you're building. Your mission describes why you exist and how you'll get there. Together they give your district purpose and direction that resonates with every classroom.

Strategic Planning Budget

Budget for the planning process itself, not district-wide spending

The strategic planning process requires dedicated resources. Budget for facilitation, staff time, community engagement, tools, and external expertise. This planning budget is separate from the operational district budget and the funds you'll allocate to strategic initiatives (covered in Step 11).

Planning Process Budget

Total Planning Process Budget

Total amount dedicated to running the strategic planning process (facilitation, staff time, tools, engagement, consultants).

Where Will Planning Funds Come From?

Allocate your planning budget across funding sources. Use funds from grants, title allocations, general fund, or external grants dedicated to planning efforts.

Funding Source	Amount	% of Total	Notes

Total Allocated

$0

Budget Envelope

$0

Status

Ready to proceed

Multi-Year Budget Projection

Select Year to View/Edit

Growth/Decline Rate

Set annual growth rates by source. ESSER funds and grants may have fixed expiration dates.

Planning Investment Priorities (Optional)

Rank what matters most for your planning process. What needs the most investment: facilitation, community engagement, data tools, or external expertise?

💡 Planning Budget Best Practices

Facilitation & leadership: Budget for skilled facilitators, project management, and coordinator staff time.
Community engagement: Account for meeting costs, translation services, childcare, and stakeholder event expenses.
Data & tools: Budget for surveys, data analysis software, visualization tools, and technology platforms.
External expertise: Consider consultant fees for specialized knowledge (research, equity, data analytics).
Communications & materials: Budget for printing, digital platforms, newsletters, and progress reporting.
Contingency: Reserve 10-15% for unexpected planning needs and opportunities.

Core Values

Your values define how you'll operate every day. They're the non-negotiables that guide decisions, shape culture, and show students and families what you really stand for.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Download workshop materials and review examples of strong core values before engaging your community.

PPTX

Values Workshop Slides

Ready-to-present slides for staff values workshop.

DOCX

Values-to-Behaviors Guide

Operational guide for living your district values.

DOCX

Staff Communication

Letter and talking points for introducing values to staff.

PPTX

Board Presentation

Present core values to the school board.

2

Gather Stakeholder Input

To Do

Core values should reflect what your whole community believes in. Survey staff, families, and students on what matters most.

Staff values survey sent Family values survey sent Student values survey sent

3

Select & Define Your Values

To Do

Select 4 to 6 core values that define how your district operates every day. Use the AI helper to cluster themes or generate behavioral definitions.

Selected: 0 values

Add Custom Value

Stakeholder Feedback

Record key themes from your stakeholder engagement about values. The grader checks whether you incorporated this input.

4

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your core values, review improvement tips, and download your section report.

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Core Values Grade

Select your values to receive a grade.

4-6 core values selected

Values are distinct and non-overlapping

Values are actionable, not just symbolic

Each value has behavioral indicators

Stakeholder feedback was recorded

Stakeholder input reflected in value selections

How to Improve

Core Values Report

Behavioral definitions and alignment analysis

Competencies

Competencies are the capabilities your team needs to execute your strategy. Pick two from each category to build a well-rounded set of competencies.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Download templates and review competency frameworks before building yours. A strong competency map connects what your people can do to what your strategy demands.

DOCX

Competency Map

Visual mapping of competencies to strategy areas.

DOCX

Leadership Self-Assessment

Tool for leaders to assess capability readiness.

2

Build Your Competency Framework

To Do

Select competencies from each category. Use the AI helper to suggest competencies based on your vision and values, or to assess capability gaps.

Add Custom Competency

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your competency framework, review improvement tips, and download your section report.

--

Competencies Grade

Select your competencies to receive a grade.

Competencies selected from each category

Core vs supporting competencies distinguished

Competencies aligned with vision and goals

Aligned with staffing, technology, and operations

How to Improve

Competency Report

Capability assessment with gap analysis

Strategic Domains

Strategic domains are the big buckets of work where your district will focus over the next three to five years. They keep everyone aligned to what matters most.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Download workshop materials and prioritization tools. Strategic domains should emerge from data and dialogue, not guesswork.

PPTX

Leadership Review Slides

Present domains for leadership team discussion.

DOCX

Prioritization Matrix

Worksheet for domain prioritization exercise.

2

Engage Your Leadership Team

To Do

Strategic domains should be brainstormed with principals, department heads, and your board. Use the workshop guide to facilitate a domain prioritization session.

Leadership team workshop completed Board input gathered Principal feedback collected

3

Select & Define Domains

To Do

Select 4 to 5 strategic domains that represent your district's highest priorities. Use the AI helper to cluster themes or suggest professional domain names.

Selected: 0 domains

Add Custom Domain

Domain Name

Description

Leadership Feedback

Record what your leadership team and board said about strategic priorities.

4

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your strategic domains, review improvement tips, and download your section report.

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Strategic Domains Grade

Select your domains to receive a grade.

4-6 domains selected

Domains are clearly distinct from each other

Domains cover key areas (academic, operational, culture)

Domains aligned with vision and mission

Leadership feedback was recorded

How to Improve

Domains Analysis Report

Domain analysis with alignment mapping

Strategic Goal Setting

Good goals are specific, measurable, and tied to your domains. They show what success looks like and how you'll know you're winning.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Download workshop materials and alignment tools. Strong goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

PPTX

Staff Workshop Slides

Workshop slides for goal-setting with teams.

DOCX

Goal Alignment Matrix

Map goals to vision, domains, and metrics.

PPTX

Board Presentation

Present strategic goals for board approval.

2

Engage Staff & Community

To Do

Goals should be informed by the people who will implement them. Host goal-setting workshops by domain area with staff teams and community advisory groups.

Staff goal-setting workshops completed Community advisory input gathered Board review scheduled

3

Upload Data & Set Goals

To Do

Upload your district data or enter it manually. We'll analyze trends and generate SMART goals, or select from suggested goals below.

Upload District Data

Upload a CSV or Excel file with your district performance data. We'll analyze trends and auto-generate SMART goals.

Drag & drop your CSV or Excel file here, or browse files

Supports .csv, .xlsx, .xls files. Expected columns: Metric, Year, Value (or similar)

-- or enter data manually --

Suggested Goals

Your Goals

Equity Lens: Subgroup Goals

Set differentiated targets for student subgroups to ensure your plan explicitly addresses equity gaps. Research shows that aggregate goals can mask inequities.

Stakeholder Feedback on Goals

Record what staff and community members said about priorities and targets.

4

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your strategic goals, review improvement tips, and download your section report.

--

Strategic Goals Grade

Set your goals to receive a grade.

Each domain has at least 1 goal

Goals follow SMART format

Goals reference measurable metrics

Goals align with vision and domains

Stakeholder feedback was recorded

Equity subgroup targets set for key populations

How to Improve

Strategic Goals Report

SMART goals with alignment analysis

Strategic Goal Forecasting

Based on your goals, here's where your district is headed. Adjust the ambition level to set targets that are both challenging and achievable. These projections use research-based improvement rates benchmarked against national data.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Review scenario planning tools and board presentation templates before setting your forecasts.

PDF

Scenario Analysis

Best/likely/worst scenario comparisons.

PPTX

Board Explanation Slides

Present forecasting methodology to the board.

2

Build Your Forecasts

To Do

Review your data profile, adjust ambition levels per metric, and use AI to generate improvement scenarios or run sensitivity analysis.

Multi-Year Projection (3-5 Years)

Project targets across multiple years. Research-based improvement rates for K-12 typically range from 2-5% annually for most metrics.

Plan Duration: Start Year:

3

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your forecasts, review improvement tips, and download your forecasting report.

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Forecasting Grade

Enter baseline data and targets to receive a grade.

Baseline data entered for key metrics

Improvement targets set for each goal

Targets are realistic based on research

Multi-year projections (3+ years)

Multi-year projections set for at least 3 years

How to Improve

Forecasting Report

Full forecasting report with trend charts

Central Office Alignment

Every department in your central office should support your strategic goals. Here you'll map which departments drive which goals so everyone knows how they contribute.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Download RACI charts and communication templates. Every employee should understand how their work connects to the strategic plan.

DOCX

Responsibility Chart

RACI-style accountability chart.

DOCX

Department Communication

Communication template for each department.

2

Engage Department Leaders

To Do

Hold department town halls and collect feedback on how each team sees their role in the strategic plan.

Department leader meetings completed Department town halls scheduled Alignment feedback collected

3

Map Department Alignment

To Do

Select departments, map them to goals, and define each department's role. Use the AI helper to detect alignment gaps.

Select Departments

Add a Department

Don't see your department? Add it here.

Alignment Matrix

Department Details

Department Leader Feedback

Record what department leaders said about alignment, capacity, and coordination needs.

4

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your alignment work, review improvement tips, and download your section report.

--

Alignment Grade

Map departments to goals to receive a grade.

All goals mapped to at least one department

No department overloaded (5+ goals)

Cross-department coordination identified

Clear accountability assignments

Department leader feedback was recorded

How to Improve

Alignment Report

Department alignment analysis with matrix

Action Initiatives

Initiatives are the concrete projects and programs you'll run to achieve your goals. We'll suggest evidence-based practices, then you can add your own based on what your district needs.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Download proposal templates and prioritization tools. Strong initiatives are evidence-based, resourced, and clearly owned.

DOCX

Initiative Proposal Template

Editable proposal template for individual initiatives.

PDF

Prioritization Matrix

Impact vs. effort visual matrix.

2

Select & Build Initiatives

To Do

Select 5 to 7 initiatives that will drive progress toward your strategic goals. Use the AI helper to suggest evidence-based options or prioritize by impact.

Suggested Initiatives

Your Initiatives

Selected: 0 initiatives

Budget & Funding Alignment

Estimate costs and identify funding sources for each initiative. This builds your financial roadmap.

3

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your initiatives, review improvement tips, and download your section report.

--

Initiatives Grade

Select your initiatives to receive a grade.

Each goal has at least one initiative

Resource estimates included

Initiative owners assigned

Impact vs. effort considered

How to Improve

Initiative Portfolio

Complete initiative portfolio with details

Stakeholder Review

Your plan is taking shape. Before building the implementation calendar, it's time to bring stakeholders back to review the complete strategy. Their feedback at this stage ensures buy-in and catches blind spots.

1

Generate Stakeholder Review Survey

To Do

Generate a feedback survey that asks stakeholders to review the completed strategic plan. You can share this as a live web survey with QR code, print it for in-person events, or export the questions for your own survey tool.

2

Collect & Upload Results

To Do

Once stakeholders have completed the survey, upload the results here. Strategic District will identify major themes, analyze Likert responses, and recommend specific edits to your plan.

Upload Survey Results

Browse for CSV file

Expected columns: role, student_experience, goal_alignment, goal_clarity, known_for, additional_feedback

3

Apply Feedback to Your Plan

To Do

Review the recommendations below and decide which edits to make. You can navigate back to any step to update your plan based on stakeholder input.

Live Stakeholder Mode

Use Live Mode to review feedback with stakeholders in real-time. Perfect for town halls and board work sessions.

Implementation Calendar

A strategic plan without a timeline is just a wish list. This calendar maps out milestones, progress check-ins, and accountability workshops for your Superintendent, Board, and every department you selected.

1

Learn & Prepare

To Do

Download milestone tracking tools and board presentation templates for your implementation timeline.

DOCX

Milestone Plan

Detailed milestone tracking document.

PPTX

Board Timeline Slides

Implementation timeline for board presentation.

2

Build Your Calendar

To Do

Set your school year and start month, then review the auto-generated calendar. Use the AI helper to generate a multi-year roadmap or identify risks.

School Year

Plan Start Month (Optional)

3

Finalize, Grade & Report

To Do

Grade your implementation calendar, review improvement tips, and download your roadmap.

--

Implementation Calendar Grade

Build your calendar to receive a grade.

All initiatives scheduled on calendar

Milestones defined for each initiative

Board reporting dates included

Timeline is realistic and achievable

How to Improve

Multi-Year Roadmap

Visual implementation roadmap

Preview and Finalize

Your plan is scored across five dimensions. A strong plan scores above 80% across all categories.

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Overall Score

Completeness 0%

All planning stages thoroughly completed.

Alignment 0%

Vision, mission, values, domains, and goals are coherent.

Stakeholder Engagement 0%

Community input was gathered and incorporated.

Data Quality 0%

Goals and forecasts grounded in real performance data.

Implementation Readiness 0%

Initiatives mapped, calendar built, departments aligned.

Equity & Access 0%

Subgroup goals set, equity gaps addressed, differentiated strategies included.

Investment Dashboard

Track total investment, funding sources, and budget status across all initiatives.

Live Plan Preview

Loading preview...

Close the Loop with Stakeholders

Before finalizing, present the full plan to your board, community advisory groups, and staff.

AI generates a polished executive summary of your plan

Resources & Templates

Final Deliverables

Track Your Progress

After finalizing, use the Progress Monitoring Dashboard to track KPIs, detect drift, and stay on course.

Open Strategic Progress

District Profile

Name Your Plan

Demographic Profile

Performance Indicators

Resources & Context

Template Library

Stakeholder Engagement

Understand the Strategic Planning Model

Plan Your Stakeholder Convenings

Generate Stakeholder Data Packet

Launch Pre-Plan Stakeholder Survey

Review & Apply Stakeholder Input

Upload External Survey Results

Vision & Mission

Learn & Prepare

Workshop Facilitation Slides

Stakeholder Survey Template

Focus Group Discussion Guide

Board Presentation

Stakeholder Engagement Playbook

Gather Stakeholder Input

Portrait of a Graduate

Battelle for Kids Framework

Graduate Attributes

Our Portrait of a Graduate

Draft Your Vision & Mission

Vision Statement

Mission Statement

Stakeholder Feedback

Finalize, Grade & Report

Vision & Mission Grade

How to Improve

Vision & Mission Report

Strategic Planning Budget

Planning Process Budget

Where Will Planning Funds Come From?

Multi-Year Budget Projection

Growth/Decline Rate

Planning Investment Priorities (Optional)

💡 Planning Budget Best Practices

Core Values

Learn & Prepare

Values Workshop Slides

Values-to-Behaviors Guide

Staff Communication

Board Presentation

Gather Stakeholder Input

Select & Define Your Values

Add Custom Value

Stakeholder Feedback

Finalize, Grade & Report

Core Values Grade

How to Improve

Core Values Report

Competencies

Learn & Prepare

Competency Map

Leadership Self-Assessment

Build Your Competency Framework

Add Custom Competency

Finalize, Grade & Report

Competencies Grade

How to Improve

Competency Report

Strategic Domains

Learn & Prepare

Leadership Review Slides

Prioritization Matrix

Engage Your Leadership Team

Select & Define Domains

Add Custom Domain

Leadership Feedback

Finalize, Grade & Report

Strategic Domains Grade

How to Improve

Domains Analysis Report

Strategic Goal Setting

Learn & Prepare

Staff Workshop Slides

Goal Alignment Matrix