1. 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

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Phase I – Focus Groups Themes

8. Phase II – Survey February
Publicize survey plan in local media, website, and s 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. Phase II – Survey Results

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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)

15. End Product

16. 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