Comparing District Plans

EDLD 5342- Comparing Austin ISD and Mansfield ISD Plans- Week 1- Part 4

There are similarities and differences between the Austin ISD and Mansfield ISD Strategic Plans. Both plans begin with an alignment between the district strategic plans and the campus plans. In both districts there is a direct alignment beginning with the strategic plan, then moving to the district plan, and now the campus plans. This is the first year that Mansfield ISD has totally aligned the campus plans to the district plans and it creates a cohesive program across the district. No longer is the campus plan simply a brag book of all the "wonderful things" a campus is doing. It is now limited to particular district goals and objectives. Other similarities include the scope of topics and goals addressed in each. There are student performance goals in each, for example that are generally grounded in data. Both districts plans state the goal and desired result or objective. They each offer measurable evidence and activities that will be used to accomplish the goals of the district. They also offer resources and timelines for completion in both plans. Specific budget planning is included in each plan as well. There is a precise coordination of state, local, and federal funds in both. The differences are pretty striking. The Austin ISD plan includes far more information about the committee work that was done to create each piece of their plan. You can see a picture of the work done to get to their "plan". They include minutes, discussion questions or areas of concern and a very thorough depiction of the work done in committee. There were even documents in the plan that included questions and concerns that were fleshed out to the point where you could almost hear the discussion happening in committee. In my district's plan the benefits and concerns are listed for goals and activities in the plan. This is helpful as well, but they are bulleted items and it is a little more difficult to "hear" the thinking behind some of the goals and activities. In the end, both documents seem to be living documents and focused on measurable outcomes.