Usually, when a school district commits to a multi-year strategic plan it involves a robust community discussion with many stakeholders. In fact, that was the normal process for OPRF High School in the past; not this time around. Such strategic discussions might include how the district has performed relative to the prior plan to help provide context and guidance regarding a new, and hopefully, improved plan for students. Additionally, the community, teachers, students, the board, and other stakeholders would be encouraged to participate. A facilitator would compile the feedback and consider topic-specific small group work. The process would then be completed with an agreed upon document/plan that the community can support because they were involved.
Well, our District 200 high school board just passed a new (old?) long-term Strategic Plan through 2028 that looks very similar to the past plan, with an added “Communications” priority. Where was the teacher, student, community, and open public board discussion? It is the board’s responsibility to develop/steer strategic planning and it’s the administration’s responsibility to execute those plans. The opposite just occurred.
The administration drove the strategy by bringing a barely modified strategic plan document to the board with a recommendation to approve it. The board briefly discussed the utility of keeping equity as the school’s number one priority and then approved it through 2028; not a minor decision for our community.
One board member dissented and appropriately wanted to discuss the usefulness of past priorities and noted that a normal, full, community-centric strategic review process did not occur.
What happened at the April board meeting not only shortchanged our community, it circumvented the board’s responsibility of truly evaluating and setting the strategic direction for our school.
If OPRF were hitting on all cylinders it might seem reasonable to “stay the course.” But what if our current strategy has been decreasing overall student achievement and widening the achievement gap at the same time? What if national rankings are declining? What if employee or student culture is somewhat stressed or fractured? Does the board know? Where were the “courageous conversations” at the board table last month? Move along, “stay the course” nothing to see here.
As mentioned, the most visible change to OPRF’s “new” long-term Strategic Plan was adding “Communication” as a new “Priority 5.” This new public relations language included “By June 2028, improve issues management so that the number of community stakeholders agreeing or strongly agreeing that communications are open and transparent increases from 26% to at least 50%.” Shoving “Communications” into a long-term strategic priory plan at the end of the school year without genuinely engaging community stakeholders doesn’t sound very “open” or” transparent.” The Alanis Morissette song “Isn’t it Ironic?” comes to mind (https://youtu.be/Jne9t8sHpUc).
Go Huskies,
• Illinois State Report Card Data: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/School.aspx?source=trends&source2=achievementgapsat&Schoolid=060162000130001
• US News and World Report Rankings: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools
Ross Lissuzzo
River Forest
