Rockford Public Schools Rockford Action Model for Success R.A.M.S. Model Rockford Action Model for Success Building a Three-Year Strategic Plan Dr. Michael Shibler & Dr. Doug VanderJagt

History In the fall of 1989, the Rockford Board of Education initiated what has become a 28-year tradition involving the community, staff, and students to determine the direction and priorities of our public school system. Since the development of the first Rockford Action Model for Success, RAMS I, eight successive three-year strategic plans have been successfully implemented, with RAMS X to begin on January 1, 2018. The comprehensive process to develop RAMS begins one year in advance and includes several community focus groups of randomly selected Rockford-area residents, staff, and students. In addition, school district employees and junior and senior students are invited to complete the survey. Finally, any resident wishing to participate has the opportunity to complete the survey through the district website. The Board of Education and administrative team thoroughly review the results and use the information to begin the challenging process of writing the goals that define RAMS.

Overview Phase I Phase II Phase III Review past survey Focus groups Create rough draft questionnaire Phase II Finalize questionnaire Survey community, staff, and students Report findings Phase III Use data to create goals Vote on goals Finalize language and Board of Education adoption

Phase I – Focus Groups January Build Focus Group lists Parents with RPS students Retired / senior citizens Avid band / choir boosters Avid athletic boosters Pre-school parents

Phase I – Focus Groups January February Three focus group sessions Staff focus group Student focus group February Report focus group findings to the Board of Education

Phase I – Focus Groups Themes

Phase II – Survey February Publicize survey plan in local media, website, and emails to parents Prepare Web Survey Allows for input from all parties Well-defined results based on larger sample size Limit submitted surveys to one per household based on unique identifier

Phase II – Survey March Release web survey to be taken by staff Release web survey to be taken by juniors and seniors Release web survey to be taken by community members March – April Printed copies of survey at all RPS buildings to be completed and returned

Phase II – Survey April May Report results in Board of Education study session May Release findings to Board as well as other groups identified by RAMS Committees

Phase II – Survey Results

Phase III – Strategic Plan August Create Committees: Curriculum, Finance, Human Resources, Special Services, Community Services, Building and Site, Co-Curricular Review survey data with committee members Develop ‘main ideas’ in regards to the data Present topics to administrators/Board of Education October Committee work - finalizing goals

Phase III – Strategic Plan November Present final goals to administrators/Board of Education Voting Each member votes for goals based on ‘priority’, ‘important’, ‘would be nice’ and ‘not a priority’ Results are compiled and reviewed by committee chairs Select group is used to finalize language of goal statements based on voting priorities

Phase III – Strategic Plan November - December Board of Education first reading late November Second reading/adoption in December Plan begins January 1 Concludes December 31 (3 years later)

End Product

Overview Phase I Phase II Phase III Review past survey Focus groups Create rough draft questionnaire Phase II Finalize questionnaire Survey community, staff, and students Report findings Phase III Use data to create goals Vote on goals Finalize language and Board of Education adoption